Princess of Asgard
by Maggie Grey
Summary: This story follows Sigyn. This story will explain how Sigyn survived the events leading up to the Thor films, through the Avengers, and even after all of it takes place. This story will show how Sigyn grows from a young woman to a strong warrior when her realm and her loved ones need her most. This is the story of Sigyn, the Princess of Asgard ... even before she was the Princess.
1. Then and Now

**New story based on the Marvel Universe because it has been requested so much! This is why I was unable to post in a while, but every story is getting updated this week! This is going to tie into the comic book world and the MCU, so I hope you enjoy! Feel free to message and leave reviews because I love hearing from my readers. Enjoy! Apologies for grammar mistakes. Thanks for all the support guys!**

* * *

 _When their mother had said something about a celebration in the palace of Asgard for the victory of the Crimson Hawks, it was safe to say all the sisters nearly shattered their eardrums with their screams, raising their voices high above to the gates of Valhalla themselves._

 _They had never attended such an evening before, and for such a grand occasion as a triumphant ceremony for the All Father's personal warriors. How were they not supposed to be excited beyond all reasoning?_

 _They immediately went to work on each other the morning of the event. The girls sprung up in their beds, hurried to finish their chores, and then ran straight for the bedroom to work on each other's hair and makeup. It's what needed to be done._

 _Idunn grabbed Nanna's long locks in a fistful, combing out her sister's long and tangled hair. Sjofn and Snorta traded skirts and gowns between each other, them being the same size out of all the sisters. Syn, Var and Lofn were left to fight over jewels and gems. It would seem that all of Freya's darling daughters were steady at work to make themselves presentable. All save for one._

 _The middle child out of nine that Freya had given birth to. She was outside, laying in the grass with the sun beaming down upon her face in a worn dress that should have been thrown away years and years ago, but she kept it for the memories and sometimes to sleep in. She twirled a single strand of grass between her fingers as she held up a small book before her face, not reading it. No, she couldn't for she never learned how to read. Instead, she was just admiring the pictures that were upon the pages, and she thought to herself that if she knew enough context clues, she would be able to decipher what was happening in the story._

 _Her mother could read, and so whenever it was she read the girls a story, she would listen closely while all the others seem to just picture the images in their heads. Not this daughter. Instead of images, she would picture the words, imaging- or at least attempting to- how they would be spelt. So many runes to remember, so many oddly shaped ones, so many that had difficult pronunciation, but she would give up nearly anything just to be able to read a few sentences._

 _She was sure she could teach herself to read if she practiced long enough, but no matter how hard she tried, some things never came to her. Reading was not something she could learn to do on her own, but she refused to be aware of that fact. Instead, she ignored reason and focused on belief. Belief that one day, if she focused hard enough, she would be reading all on her own. And not just story books, but anything. Anything ranging from scholar works to books of ancient heroes to mortal works upon the realm of Midgard. She would read it all, but for now ... pictures was all she had._

 _"Not getting ready with your sisters, Sigyn?" a voice questioned, making the blonde haired beauty grow just a tad annoyed that her personal "reading" time had been disturbed by her eldest sister._

 _"I will be ready shortly," she replied, not looking away from the illustration she was gazing upon; a scene in Alfheim- home to the light elves- were beautiful creatures roamed and the grass grew as green as emeralds. The sun was shinning bright and the sky was a clear blue._

 _"You may want to dress just a tad bit fancier than usual tonight, Sigyn," her half sister Hnossa said. "There are going to be many brave warriors there. Warriors that I'm sure you would like to meet."_

 _She took a seat beside her younger sister in the grass, looking at what she was reading, but unable to understand the contents herself._

 _"Not really," Sigyn said honestly. "I am not all that interested in the warriors."_

 _"Oh, but Sigyn," Hnossa went on to say, "these are not just any warriors. These are the Crimson Hawks. The personal warriors of the All Father himself. Are you aware of how much of an honor it is to be in their presence?"_

 _"I guess I am just not all that excited," Sigyn said calmly._

 _"Ah, that is just because you have not been keeping tabs on politics and the wars," Hnossa reasoned. "They have many a great victory this previous year. And some have yet to take a wife."_

 _Sigyn giggled and sat up straight, closing the book and placing it promptly on her lap across her folded legs._

 _"Oh, dear Hnossa," she began, "is that what you and mother intend to do tonight? Marry all of us off? Well, I think not. I could never give my heart to a Crimson Hawk. That is redundant. Let alone would I ever be with someone involved in Asgard's politics. I would not be able to handle the lifestyle."_

 _Hnossa shrugged at her sister's words. "You never do know, Sigyn," she assured. "If you love someone enough, you might find yourself crossing over all nine of the realms for them and crossing over Hel ten times. Someone may even be willing to do the same for you one day."_

 _Sigyn shook her head, brushing back her blonde hair and shutting her blue eyes as she felt the warmth of the sun on her skin. It was so nice and wonderful, she enjoyed it immensely._

 _"I doubt that is ever going to happen, Hnossa," she admitted. "I doubt anyone will ever love me that much, but let us go. I figure tis time for me to get ready anyway. Let us go, Sister. You can help me prepare for this horrid of evenings where I shall meet no one special."_

 _Hnossa laughed as the two girls stood from their spots in the grass._

 _"Always so optimistic, Sigyn."_

* * *

The procession was long and sorrowful. The stars even seemed to be dimmed and the souls that were present had all lost their sense of happiness and joy in these worlds for this night, for this night was not about happiness. It was not a celebration. It was a chance to mourn the one that they all loved and adored in their own ways as she passed on. As she left them. As she ascended into Valhalla.

But she was sure she was the most saddened out of all of the other simple servants that were in attendance. She also knew that the All Father's grief was un-paralleled to any others, but she found herself compelled to ask. She made a promise to her, the All Mother, the Queen, Frigga, before she died. She made a promise, and when she makes promises, even with the dead, she was sure to keep them. She needed to keep them. And so she approached the All Father's throne room, trailing her black garments behind her.

Lace. It was all lace. Her dress, its train, everything was black laced with roses in it. The attack was hard, it was scary, but she was protected. She was hidden, but she had lost someone dear to her ... again. But, he wasn't lost. He was just ... hidden.

And so, when she approached the All Father, she knelt before him and then stood up tall, but her head still bowed.

"Please accept my condolences, All Father," she began, "for I am truly sorry for your loss." Her words were true, and even Odin knew that.

"As I know you speak true, dear child," Odin spoke in reply, and she could hear the heartache in his voice as he did so. "She dotted upon you the most, but your condolences are not all you came here for, are they?"

She swallowed hard, but after what she has been through, Odin was far from intimidating to her.

"No, All Father," she said. "They are not."

"No," he grumbled. "I thought not." Silence for a moment before he spoke again. "You wish to tell him."

She blinked her blue eyes up to him, her King, and said nothing.

"Yes," Odin muttered. "I have already sent someone to tell him. He already knows."

"That's not why I have come to you, All Father," she assured. "I know someone has already been sent to tell him." She took a breath and built up her courage. "But I also know that he was unable to attend the procession, and-"

"That is his own fault," Odin nearly snarled at her, but she remained calm and she mentally slowed her heart rate. She could do this. She could handle him. She has handled worser people. Scarier people.

"Indeed, All Father," she agreed, "but she was still important to him. He still loved her, and he still-"

"Enough words, foolish girl!" Odin roared. "No visitors! That was the order I sent. That is the order that shall stand."

She had not flinched when Odin bellowed at her. She hadn't even felt slightly frightened. Rather, she was growing angry. Enraged and impatient, even. The All Father was someone whom she never really had respect for inwardly, but she was always sure to present it when before him and when she spoke of him, especially now in his dark hours of mourning.

"I know of your order, All Father," she spoke in the same tone she had been speaking in. "And I respect it. However, I do feel that sometimes ... tis better to answer injustice with mercy. Allow comfort when needed. You have your son, but now ... _he_ has no one. Allow me to offer my sympathies to him. Just for a moment. Just for tonight. No one should be forced to mourn the death of a loved one alone. Not even him."

Odin was seemingly moved, but still not fully swayed. He was in rage, in somber, and in denial that he had been a bad father. He looked away, feeling as though the girl was more powerful than he for even a brief moment, but he soon shifted his one eyed gaze back to her and spoke in pride.

"I will answer injustice with justice, little girl. No visitors. Not now ... Not ever."

* * *

 _They had settled on a shimmering light blue gown to match her eyes and the sky, making Sigyn appear far more majestic than any of her sisters. She out shined even her mother's radiance in the Grand Hall when the crowd gathered in the pews and examined the crowd that passed. Sigyn took her place standing in the middle of her sisters as the ceremony began._

 _The crowd stood tall when the horns sounded and the first to proceed down the aisle was the Lady Sif, escorted by herself and herself alone. Sigyn secretly admired the strong warrior, a woman, no doubt. She was an inspiration for a young woman such as herself, marching upon the golden floor without a man beside her, a sword attached to her hip and a warrior title stuck unto her._

 _Following the procession of the Lady Sif was the Warriors Three, all standing together as they approached the golden throne of the All Father Odin himself. Many women lost their cool as they walked, standing a little taller, clapping a little louder, and jumping a bit in their place. Her sisters reacted the same, but Sigyn merely stood in her place and clapped as she had been the entire time._

 _After the Warriors Three came the queen, All Mother Frigga, escorted by her two sons; Prince Thor the Thunderer and Prince Loki the Trickster. One stood on either side of her as if they were her own personal guard, overly protective of their mother. She wasn't the queen to them, they weren't the princes to her. They were family, and it was clear in just how they walked together, smiling wide as they did so._

 _Thor was dressed in his usual red and silvers, hawk helmet upon his head with a strong step as walked proudly throughout the people who applauded his mere appearance, so close to them. On his face was a jolly smile, his blond hair grown out and his blue eyes bright with happiness._

 _Loki was covered in greens and golds, his horned helmet balanced on the top of his head, his slightly grown out black hair sleeked back, curved at the back of his neck. He was fairly tall, but not all that muscular. Nothing like his brother, but not small either. More lean than anything which added a nice flare to his appearance. His pure green eyes were unlike anything in any of the worlds, and he seemed to walk softly and with patience. The sly smirk on his face told the crowd that he had plans of mischief for the feast that would follow, but what would one expect from the God of Mischief? Nothing less._

 _Once the two princes and the All Mother took their positions, the All Father entered with Crimson Hawk warriors nearly surrounding him. The hall bursted into a loud roar of applause, praising their king who was dressed in all gold, symbolizing the strength and wealth in his realm and his kingship. It was without Odin that Asgard would be truly lost, so everyone seemed to agree. But as Hnossa had said, Sigyn was never one for keeping up with politics, and so she was not sure what was so different between Odin's reign and his predecessor Bor's. Still, people had said that he had made a great improvement to the realm from what his father had managed to accomplish, and so Sigyn assumed that if enough people believed it, it must be so. Still, she was always a bit hesitant to just accept things as they are rather than question them._

 _All the same, she clapped along with the crowd and watched as the All Father was lead by his guards, spear held tightly in hand, and his grand helmet seated at the top of his graying head. He was aging at this point, having lived for so many years, worshiped like a god from the mortals below. They all were in a sense. But Odin had insisted that they were not gods for they were born, they shall live, and they shall- one day- eventually die._

 _Once he took his position before his throne, Odin gave one bang of his spear and brought the crowd to a silence, allowing them to be seated should they have been lucky enough to find a pew that was open._

 _Sigyn straightened out her blue gown and relaxed in the pew in between her sisters Lofn and Snotra. She folded her hands in her lap, and listened to the All Father's words as he spoke, picturing their spelling in her mind as he went._

 _"Friends," he started, "family, people of Asgard ... we have gathered here today in celebration of the victory of the great Crimson Hawk warriors and admire them for their bravery and service to the realm eternal, the realm of Asgard."_

 _Another applause, and so Sigyn clapped along as her sisters cooed over the handsome Prince Thor._

 _"Imagine," Snotra muttered to Syn loud enough for Sigyn to hear, "being the Princess of Asgard by marrying Prince Thor!"_

 _The two girls shared in a giggle, Sigyn allowing them to have their fun and not informing her sisters of how impolite it was to converse of fantasies while their King spoke of brave souls who took up arms in combat. She figured she let the little ones coo if they wished. She raised her chin a little taller, and focused on the All Father's words, only at times picking up on her sister's conversations._

 _"Through great times of horror and bloodshed," Odin went on when the applause died down, "these brave men continued to fight for the good of their realm and all the realms combined. They have proven their strength and loyalty to Asgard in ways we never deemed imaginable. In the bravest way of all. And so we thank them, as Asgardians, from the bottom of our hearts for their courage, their strength, and their loyalty to Asgard, the realm eternal."_

 _"If Prince Thor and I were to marry and have a child," Snotra whispered to Syn, "it would be the most beautiful child in all of Asgard."_

 _"Oh, well," Syn chimed in, "if I were to have a child with Prince Thor, it would be the most beautiful most talented child in all Nine of the Realms!"_

 _Sigyn inwardly giggled and rolled her blue eyes, still sitting as calmly as ever. A privilege to be here, she knew that, but her sisters's tiny side conversation was perhaps more entertaining than Odin's speech._

 _"Why so interested in Prince Thor?" Sigyn found herself budding in in a whisper that no one, save for her sisters, seemed to notice. "Is it because he is handsome or because he is the heir of Asgard?"_

 _Snotra and Syn shared in a look before stumbling for words._

 _"Because he is ... well ..." Snotra attempted to answer._

 _"Because he is going to make a great king someday," Syn responded proudly._

 _Sigyn nodded._

 _"How do you know?" she questioned next. "What is his thoughts on the poverty level? The threat of the frost giants? The expense of home building? How about the homeless or the orphaned children?"_

 _Just because Sigyn did not keep up with politics did not mean that she had no clue what was a pressing issue for Asgard and what was not. She knew of the issues, but she did not keep track of what was being done to improve them because, so far, nothing had worked._

 _"Umm..." Syn looked to her sister for help, but Snotra came up with nothing._

 _"Who knows?" Sigyn shrugged, looking straight at Prince Thor with curious eyes. "He may be a wonderful king. He may be a poor one. Heck, maybe his younger brother, the second heir, Prince Loki may be better at the job ... and we would never know," she said as her eyes shifted between the two princes. It was a pending question._

 _"Prince Loki?" Syn asked with a hint of disgust in her voice, bringing Sigyn's eyes back to her sisters. "No way."_

 _"Why not?" Sigyn questioned._

 _"Well ..." Syn began, "he is just so ... so ..."_

 _"_ Different, _" Snotra answered for her sister._

 _"Yes! Thank you, Snotra. Different. Prince Loki is really different."_

 _"Yes," Sigyn agreed as she turned her eyes back to the Prince in green. "I suppose he is."_

 _She took a breath and really looked at him. He certainly appeared sophisticated and intelligent while Thor seemed more 'smash- smash- hit- stomp- smash.' Prince Loki just had something about him that convinced her that he would not be so bad as a king, and wondered why it was that the succession of the throne goes by order of birth and not order of capability._

 _"But different is not always so bad," she concluded, wondering maybe ... just maybe ... Prince Loki was more fit for the throne than his older brother._

* * *

"You really shouldn't be doing this," she warned as Prince Thor led the way down the stone stairs, her black train still trailing behind her as her heels made an echo against the stones. "You can get into an awful amount of trouble."

"My father," Thor argued, "can become upset with me, but I agree with you in the matter that some cruelty is just too horrid to withstand, even for those who have done the most damage. And, besides," he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her, "who's to say he is going to find out?"

"Prisoner's have mouths, too, Thor," she said in response, to which he shrugged it off.

"But who listens to prisoners?"

It was a long ways down, and then you still had guards to deal with once you got there, but that was the least of her concerns. Especially given the fact that she was not going down alone. She did have the Prince of Asgard with her.

And, sure enough, two guards dressed in golds and whites stood at the end of the stairs, firm as statues.

"Grant the Lady pass under orders of the All Father," Thor commanded, but was denied of his power.

"The All Father said she would wish to pass, and that we are forbidden to let her through. No visitors was the order, my Lord. Not now. Not ever," one guard spoke in return, making the Thunder God grow impatient as usual.

"I know of the order given," Thor said, "but I'm giving you a new one. Let her pass."

"He is forbidden from having visitors," the other guard chimed in.

"And I'm forbidden from standing here wasting my time," Thor countered, and with a steady motion, both guards found their faces connected to Thor's fist, both lying on the floor fast asleep.

"Go," he told her, "you have but a few moments."

She began to race down the prison corridors, but stopped when she realized she wasn't being followed. She peeked over her shoulder and saw Thor standing in place, looking up the stairs to be sure no more men came to investigate the clatter.

"You are not coming?" she asked her Prince, grabbing Thor's attention and deeply disturbed by his response.

"I have no more connections to him," Thor said, so sure of himself, but also saddened by it as well.

"You need to always have a connection with him," she argued. "You have been through too much together."

"And he has done too much to throw it all away," Thor countered.

"He is lost, and broken ... he has made some huge and very eradicate mistakes, Thor, but he is still family and he still needs you. You can be angry with him all you want, but please ... don't give up on him, because he _is_ worth giving a damn about."

Thor looked down, thinking of what it was she had said, and nodding in compliance. His blue eyes met up with hers in a steady and heavy gaze.

"I will always be angry with him. I will never forgive him ... but I will never give up on him," Thor said, and with that, she turned and ran to his cell.

* * *

 _At least a hundred names had been called, and Sigyn was growing bored and impatient. Sitting still, applauding whenever it was a warrior dressed in scarlets and purples came before the throne of the All Father to be recognized by the public for their bravery. Her palms were beginning to sting, her spine beginning to burn, and her younger sisters growing more restless than new born babes._

 _They certainly were dragging the ceremony out longer than need be. Each Crimson Hawk walked down the golden aisle with the music from the horns escorting them. Some were comical in their approach to their king, others far too serious for her own liking. It was nice when she got to smile at some small act of humor. Something so simple as one Crimson Hawk raising his sword above his head with pride, another nearly dancing down the golden aisle with glee. The small things are what made her smile._

 _In any case, it seemed to have been hours before the All Father spoke again, the last of the Crimson Hawks now standing along the steps of the throne. As Odin stood, the crowd grew into silence, and it was then that it hit Sigyn that the Warriors Three, the Lady Sif, and the Royal Family had been standing the entire time and have so rarely readjusted themselves. Their left or right foot had to remain one step higher than the other, making them unable to shift their weight onto the other leg. It must have been torture. Still, they showed no sign of discomfort, and still remained as tall and stiff in their posture as ever._

Good for them, _Sigyn thought to herself, wiggling a bit in her seat._

 _"Myself and the rest of Asgard would like to praise this warrior for his bravery and his nobility and his honor to Asgard and his King. This warrior has gone above and beyond to do his duty and to protect his men in times of battle and war. He is an inspiration to us all, and so has the great honor of becoming my personal warrior. Ladies and gentlemen, children of Asgard, the great Crimson Hawk; Theoric," Odin proclaimed._

 _And when the warrior stepped out into the view of everyone who was within the hall, Sigyn's blue eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped open. The handsome warrior wore a proud smile on his face, his chin raised and his eyes bright with honor. His armor and uniform shimmered in the light of Asgard's sun, and his beautiful face seemed to brighten up everyone in the room._

 _"Theoric," Sigyn muttered to herself as he passed by her to kneel before the All Father, right fist over his heart as he pledged himself to his king. Sigyn smiled wide at him, feeling her heart beat loudly and hard in her chest. "Theoric," she repeated._

* * *

Last cell, all the way down past the horrid creatures who licked the glass and spat out vile things at her. She did her best to ignore them, but all the inappropriate words made her feel sick inside despite her having had heard worse.

She had never been to such a place, so far beneath the soil. He was literally buried, as though he had died, the same as his mother. He was gone from prying eyes and wonderful events. Away from politics and his forgotten life. She felt sorry for him, and she truly wished she could see him in other ways than in secret, but she knew she would get and earful from the All Father if he was to find out that she was in here now.

In any case, she would choose to ignore Odin. He was far more important to her than Odin's rule and order. He was there for her when she needed him, even if they barely knew each other. They still had trust and they still needed to have each other's back, or else both would truly have no one.

She reached his cell and stopped before it, looking into the glass with horror and disgust. He had gone insane.

He was throwing chairs, flipping tables, breaking lamps, on a rampage, just destroying everything. His hands and feet were bleeding, but he paid them no mind as he banged his fists against the wall and slumped to the floor where he let out an enraged, sorrowful scream.

His eyes were wet, clear from crying, and his hair was distressed, nowhere as neat as it usually was before all of this had happened.

"Loki," she spoke as she came up to the side of the cell to be next to him.

He looked to her, she standing right there, just beyond the glass barrier that kept him contained as though he were a zoo animal on display.

"Loki," she cried as she began to let water leak from her eyes as well, placing her hand on the glass.

"You're here?" he questioned, at first, unable to believe that his only true acquaintance was unharmed. Not a scratch on her, but it was clear that she was broken.

"You're here," he stated, realizing he wasn't imagining her. It wasn't a dream. He placed his hand on top of hers over the glass, the closest they came to touching one another through the cell he was imprisoned in.

"It's my fault," he confessed to her. "It's my fault." More tears pricked at his eyes, streaming down his face as he continued to sob.

"I did it, Sigyn," Loki wept. "I killed my mother."


	2. Treason

**Next chapter already? Yes, but that is because I have big plans for this story. BIG PLANS! Anyway, I hope you enjoy and apologies for any grammar mistakes. Thanks for all the support!**

* * *

 _The after party was just a grand feast that spread across several overly large tables with all kinds of meats and meads covering each oak made stand. Sigyn sat beside her sisters as usual, and could only watch as several hundred people stuffed their gullets with meat and drink and bread. She was slightly disgusted, but refused to let the obscene atmosphere destroy her good mood. So as others ate like pigs at feeding time, Sigyn took small and casual bites, being as lady like and proper as she was taught to be. Not even her sisters possessed the same manners as she, most eating like the men in a wild haze, but she knew better. Her mother had taught her well. It would seem, though, as her own mother was caving in to the disgust of stuffing as much food one could possibly fit into their mouth at once._

 _She came up behind her daughter, dressed in her exquisite golden gown complete with blonde plentiful curls and a shinning necklace resting on her chest, and spoke to her child in a fashion of merriment._

 _"Dear Sigyn," she said, "why is it you do not go mad with raging hunger? This is more food than we could ever hope to have on our tables!"_

 _Sigyn shrugged, but she secretly knew the answer to the question; even though the chances of him noticing her were a million to one, she did not desire Theoric to see her in a mass scramble for food. She'd rather sit neatly and remain clean throughout the evening in case she got lucky. Any other time, she would be stuffing biscuits into her breasts to take home and snack on, but not today._

 _"I guess the excitement has filled my famish," she replied, not wanting her mother in on her crush on one of the Crimson Hawks._

 _"Usually, it is the opposite," her mother teased, rubbing her daughter's shoulders tenderly and with affection. "But, whatever soothes you dear Sigyn, so be it. I'm actually quite happy to know that not all of my daughters have become ragging lunatics when it comes to food."_

 _Sigyn twisted in her chair and looked her mother directly in the eyes. Her mother was the most intelligent woman that she knew, so in Sigyn's mind, her mother had the answer to every question she could possibly think to ask. And the one she asked, well, her mother was bound to know the answer to._

 _"Mother," Sigyn began, "how is it that we even got invited to this grand celebration?"_

 _Freya smiled slightly before beginning to pick at Sigyn's hair, fixing a few loose strands._

 _"Oh, the All Mother and I are childhood friends, my child," she explained calmly as if it was the most normal of things in any of the nine realms._

 _Sigyn's jaw dropped open at her mother's words, leaving her gawking with amazement that her mom actually knew the Queen of Asgard before she was the Queen of Asgard._

 _"Oh, do not look at me like that, Sigyn," her mother commanded with a smile. "I have not told you girls because I did not want you to think that just because the Queen and I are old friends that you can start getting away with everything. But I know you, Sigyn. I know you would not abuse power. I trust you to not tell your sisters my little secret."_

 _Sigyn quickly shook her head._

 _"Of course not, Mother," she vowed. "I promise. How do you know each other?"_

 _"Vanaheim, Sigyn, but you already knew that. Growing up in Vanaheim, we lived in the same area. The same city. So we just played together whenever it was we could. We were close and we still are. I attended her wedding, you know," her mother explained._

 _"How come we were never invited to anything before? Like the princes' name day celebrations? Or the Jule celebration? What of the All Mother's name day? Surely Queen Frigga would have invited you to that," Sigyn said, now questioning her life and why it was most of it was spent in the meadow and not in parties and ball gowns._

 _"We were invited, my dear, many times," her mother confessed. "I just never told you because I did not believe you were all quite fit for something as grand as one of those celebrations. That is when politicians from other realms attend as well, and nobody wants all of that noise. But this celebration, this is just for Asgard, and seeing how it is that you all have matured so wonderfully, I thought it was about time you attended something as spectacular as this."_

 _Sigyn sighed, a little hurt that her mother had kept such secrets from her, but touched that out of all nine of the girls, she entrusted her with this information. That was worth something._

 _"Thank you for telling me, Mother," she said, and felt her mom place her lips upon her forehead._

 _"They will be dancing soon," her mom informed her. "I know how much you love to dance. Perhaps tonight you may be able to dance with one of the princes? Maybe a Crimson Hawk? Maybe both?"_

 _Sigyn giggled as she felt her cheeks turn red and she began to daydream about her and Theoric gliding across the floor soundly to the music that was playing in the background._

* * *

"You must not blame yourself," she insisted as Loki leaned his forehead against the glass cell, his palm still touching hers, with the barrier in between the two's skin.

"But it's my fault," he whimpered, his tears finally subsiding. "He looked at me. Stared right at me. He let all the others go. Freed everyone else in here. I was all that was left, and he just looked at me. He could just tell, Sigyn. He could tell that I was going to do something awful if he let me out. He just had to look at me and he could see the evil in my eyes. I might as well have gone to her in person and killed her myself."

Sigyn brought her face closer to his, speaking to him as softly as she could through the glass. How she wished for the distance between them to be broken so he could at least feel her skin, how soft it was, so that she may give him a truly comforting touch.

"Loki, her death is not your fault. You had no intention to kill her," Sigyn said, attempting to convince him that he was innocent, but he refused to listen.

He shook his head and took in a shaky breath.

"All the lives he took that day," he swallowed hard and blinked his blue eyes up to her, "I am responsible for their lives."

He removed his forehead from the glass as well as his hand, pushing back his crazed black hair to neaten it to some extent. He sat cross legged on the floor so that she may lean against the wall of his cell and speak to him as if there was no barrier, he was not a prisoner, rather they were good friends relaxing in their home and conversing about life.

"I still don't know what happened," he said. "I still don't know what took place at the palace. All I was told is that my mother was slain by the abomination I aided in escaping this place."

His mismatched eyes met hers. "I was frightened that he might have attacked _you_ as well. Were you harmed?"

She shook her head.

"No, Loki. I was protected by the Crimson Hawks. The rest were away fighting. Ever since the All Father heard of your involvement on Midgard, that's the way it has been. Crimson Hawks surrounding me and all."

He looked down, disappointed in himself. He hadn't have thought of the effect his actions would have upon Sigyn, even if she wasn't directly involved in his plans.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," he apologized.

She merely shrugged her shoulders.

"A little excitement in my life is usually interesting. Needless to say I wasn't bored."

For the first time since she was down there, Loki smiled briefly. Very briefly. If she had blinked, she would have missed it, but she was happy that she noticed it. She hasn't seen him smile in so long, it was nice to see it again. He did have a wonderful smile.

"Can you tell me what happened, what took place at the palace?" he requested, to which Sigyn clenched her jaw. "Sigyn," he begged, "please. I need to know. Odin can lock me up in a cage and forbid me from having visitors and disown me as his son, but I am still a prince in one realm or another. I deserve to know what happened in my own home."

He had a point and a right to know. Sigyn was always one for honesty and so the truth she shall tell. She opened her mouth and began to explain.

* * *

 _The music held a fine tune to it, but perhaps a little too fast paced. Sigyn did not enjoy it as much as she originally believed she would, and so far the only people she had danced with a part from her sisters were noblemen who were so drunk that she was frightened to deny them._

 _None of her partners seemed to have a graceful step within them, making her feet ache after just an hour of attempting to be elegant on the floor. After spinning and twirling and getting stomped on by some drunken Crimson Hawks, she had decided she had had enough and stumbled back to a near empty table. Her feet burned like she had walked across a fire blazed nail bed. She so deeply desired to just put her feet up, but knew it would not be a classy gesture. So instead, she just sucked up the pain and removed most of the pressure from her feet by sitting down._

 _"Is now a bad time to request a dance?" a voice asked as soon as Sigyn had closed her eyes._

 _She couldn't help, but to grin at the irony in it. She shook her head slightly and rubbed her_ _forehead with tender fingers._

 _"Depends who is asking," she teased, and earned herself a chuckle._

 _"A Crimson Hawk. And I swear to Valhalla I am sober. My companions ... not so much."_

 _She peeked at her stranger and nearly fainted when she saw his chestnut eyes peering at her with warmth and comfort, offering her a graceful time should she accept it._

 _"I saw you dancing with most of them," he continued, "and I thought you would like to have a real dance before the night is over."_

 _Her smile slowly sprawled onto her face, it being the brightest expression she has ever worn. She couldn't imagine a moment where she was ever happier. And so when he extended his hand,_ _offering it to her, she forgot all about the burning sensation going on in her feet, and accepted his gift._

 _He pulled her up from her chair and began to escort her to the floor, seemingly admiring her from head to toe._

 _"That gown looks splendid on you," he complimented, making Sigyn blush as crimson as his_ _uniform._

 _"Thank you very much," she nearly whispered, so caught up in her own embarrassment. She thought it was horrid, but he found it adorable._

 _"You are very welcome," he added and stopped walking once in the center of the floor._

 _He gave a bow to her and she curtsied in return before taking his hands in hers, and allowing him to lead her in a dance. He wasn't all that amazing at it, certainly nowhere near as good as she, but he was the best partner out of all her previous ones. That was enough to satisfy her._

 _"My apologies, Miss," he said as he glanced down at his feet. "I was never all that good at_ _dancing."_

 _Sigyn giggled honestly and brought her finger to his chin, telling him to remove his gaze from their feet and focus on her._

 _"Nonsense," she said with a smile. "You are doing a splendid job."_

 _He grinned in pure delight at that, and for a long while the two were lost within each other's eyes, dancing for what seemed like hours._

* * *

"The ship crashed into the palace and a small army of dark elves emerged with Malekith leading them. They completely destroyed the throne room, many brave lives were lost, and Malekith asked the Queen for the location of the Aether. When she refused to tell him ... that's when the kursed killed her," Sigyn explained, and noticed that Loki was listening as closely as ever.

"Did they get ahold of the Aether?" he asked with desperation in his voice and worry in his eyes.

Why he was so concerned, she had no idea, but she figured it must be for some really important reason. They would discuss it later. Right now, she believed that they should focus on his mother.

"No," she confirmed. "They left empty handed, but Thor wounded Malekith before he escaped."

"He escaped?" There was hate in Loki's eyes as he asked the question. "Thor let them escape?"

"He tried to stop them, Loki," Sigyn insisted. "You must believe that."

He shook his head and looked away, contemplating on what to say next. Sigyn spoke before he could start spilling venom about his family.

"Let us not talk about Thor. Alls people ever talk about is Thor. I want to talk about you," she said, calming him and bringing his eyes back to her. His expression had greatly softened.

"I have missed you deeply, Loki." She bit her bottom lip and looked away for moment, making great efforts to conceal her tears. She didn't want to cry anymore. She felt as though if she continued, she would never stop. "Ever since they told me you fell off the Bifrost ..." she trailed off and covered her mouth with her hand, sniffling. She shook her head frantically, her blonde curls bouncing with the gesture. "I didn't believe them," she confessed and wiped at her eyes. Loki lingered so close, holding onto every word she was saying like a drowning man clutching at straws. "I couldn't," she continued. "I wouldn't let myself. I wouldn't believe you were dead. Neither did she. He told us together. Odin did. Thor was there, too. And when he told us," she paused to take a breath, still daring not to look into his eyes, "when he told us that you were dead ... that you had ... that you had _killed_ yourself ... she did not run into her husband's arms or her son's. She ran into _mine_ and apologized to _me._ And I-I ..." she searched her vocabulary for the correct words. "I did not know how to respond. Here she was, this woman who had lost her _baby_ and she was apologizing to _me_."

She made eye contact with him then, seeing the effect her words were having on him. Tears pricked at his blue eyes and his face was as pale as a ghost's. She took a deep breath, sniffled and continued with a sad smile.

"That is what you were to her, you know? Her baby. She always used to call you that when speaking to me about you. Always, 'my baby,' 'my baby,' 'my baby.'" She shook her head in sudden realization. "It was never just 'Loki.' Whether born from her womb or plucked from the grasps of death as an infant ... you were always _her_ youngest. Always _her_ baby.

"And she saw it; the cruelty and the inequality between you and your brother in society. She saw the shadow that Thor casted, and she saw how difficult it was for you to flourish in anything your brother did. She thought that if you were good at magic, you could have something to call your own. Something Thor could never take from you.

"You made her so proud." A single tear fell from his eye and slid down his cheek. "She saw all the magic you possessed, how amazing you were at it, how masterful. She was in awe of you, admired you for your abilities. She had told me once that she believed that your magic even suppressed that of her own; and she was glad that it did. It showed her that you had something- something to own, something to give you reason and purpose. Something that made you _you_ and unlike anybody else.

"She loved you beyond all reason, Loki. She really did."

She forced herself to calm her sobs, looking at him and hoping he would contribute something to the conversation, but it was like his lips had been sewn shut. He seemed to not want to say anything, just gaze upon the person who said those things to him, but Sigyn became impatient and needed to hear his voice again.

"Please, say something," she requested.

And so Loki stifled a sniffle himself and his silver tongue was seemingly failing him. Sigyn never asked for much, so a few words should be something that he should give her. But what should they be? Certainly not anything hateful. She has heard just about every hateful statement from him in previous years. Something with kindness, which he had only recently began to speak to her with.

"I missed you, Sigyn," he spoke honestly, but with a sense of weight behind the words, as though he had metal marbles in his mouth that finally began to take their toll on his tastebuds and so he has begun to spit them out. "I did. And I thought about you an awful lot ever since I left. I thought of how kind you were, how caring, how beautiful. And I always thought of how horrible I was to you, and how ... I never deserved you. I also thought about how if I could tell you _something_ that has been on my chest, should I ever see you again, that I would. But now that you are here and before me and saying such wonderful things ..." he silently sighed and looked down to his lap, unable to face her. "I don't think I can. Not yet. Not with all that is going on. It is not the right time. Who knows who could be listening?" he muttered.

"Listening?" Sigyn repeated. "Loki, what do you mean by someone could be lis-"

"Tell me, Sigyn," he interrupted her and caught her eyes again, "how did she die?"

Sigyn grew hesitant, her moth becoming dry of moisture and words.

"Please, Sigyn," he begged. "I want to know."

"That information is not important, Loki," she assured.

"That is for me to decide. Sigyn, I am responsible for her death. I at least want to know how it was I killed her."

She drew in a deep breath before gathering herself and speaking what it was he so craved to know.

"Protecting the Foster mortal from Malekith," she explained. "Kurse stabbed her when she refused to reveal the Foster woman's whereabouts. But please, Loki," she began to beg as she placed both palms on the glass cell, trying to get as close to him as possible. "Please do not go after her. She is an innocent woman. Please."

Loki was silent and swallowed hard, searching the floor for his next words. He finally blinked up to her and shook his head.

"No," he said. "If I must ... I _will_ protect her. I will not murder or harm the woman that my _mother_ gave up her very life to protect. If Jane Foster ever needs it .. she will have my protection."

* * *

 _It was a crisp night. Nice and cool, the refreshment and chill of winter nearing as the two walked about the palace gardens. The sky was clear of any clouds, creating a beautiful scene of_ _twinkling stars high above, dazzling with their radiant glow as if overly proud of their charm, knowing just how fantastic they looked._

 _The Crimson Hawk and Sigyn strolled arm in arm, just sharing in the silence of the night_ _ambiance; crickets making music in the tall grass, a gentle breeze brushing past their faces and the sweet smell of peppermint climbing into their noses as fireflies appeared every five seconds or so with their green light of beauty._

 _"Tell me about your family," he started, walking along the stone path with Sigyn close by._

 _"There is not much to say about my family," she responded, feeling a blush overcome her cheeks, and it wasn't from the cold._

 _"Oh, I believe there is always something to say about one's family. They just have to be open to talking about it. Are you open to talking about it?" he questioned._

 _Sigyn took a moment to really think about it before beginning to speak._

 _"There are nine of us," she began. "Nine sisters including me."_

 _"Nine?" He seemed surprised by the large number, making her giggle._

 _"Yes. Nine. The oldest one, Hnossa, she is my half sister. The rest are all my full sisters. We come from the same father, but he passed a few years ago."_

 _"I'm sorry," he spoke true._

 _"It was not that hard; his passing. I was older and I barely ever saw him. I met him perhaps once or twice in my life. Aside from that, I cannot say that I remember much about him. He was not even around for the birth of his children. He passed before my youngest sister was even born," Sigyn explained, having not told anyone such things before in her life._

 _"There must be some fighting that takes place in the household," he insisted._

 _"Only sometimes," Sigyn laughed._

 _"Do all of you live together?"_

 _"No," she replied. "No. Hnossa lives on her own. The rest of us live together in a cottage not too far away from here. There are three bedrooms, so we manage. Of course, my mom has a room to herself, and then the other two bedrooms are split between the sisters."_

 _"I see." He was, surprisingly, very interested. He obviously was not used to the other half life, having Crimson Hawk run in his family. He took in every word that she told him, honestly attempting to understand her lifestyle. "And how does that work?"_

 _"Well," she continued, "in one room is the older sisters; Idunn, Nanna, Lofn and Sjofn. Then in the next room is myself, Snotra, Syn and the youngest Var. None of us are big snorers so things work out well," she teased, earning herself a dazzling chuckle from the man she strolled with._

 _"What about you?" she questioned. "What is your family like?"_

 _He bit the corner of his mouth, doing his best at subduing a smile, but she saw it all the same._

 _"I have to admit that my family is nowhere near as fascinating as yours," he confessed with a hint of laughter in his voice._

 _"My family is only interesting because there are so many of us," she said. "How many do you have in your family?"_

 _"Just my mother and I. My father was a Crimson Hawk," he elaborated. "He began as part of the Einherjar. He trained since before I was born to become a Crimson Hawk. He eventually_ _became part of the elite team for the All Father and wore his colors proudly." The way he ended things told Sigyn that something had occurred._

 _"What happened, if you do not mind me asking?" She said it as softly as she could incase the subject pulled at his heart strings._

 _It was just as she suspected._

 _"Um, he died," he confessed._

 _"I am so sorry."_

 _"Most people say the same, but I cannot be too saddened by his death. You see, my father died doing something he loved. He went on a special assignment for the All Father and a few days later, his fellow Hawks return with his body and said that he died with honor. What other way could you ask to go? He did not want to die in his bed of old age just begging to go outside, but too weak to do so. No. If he was going to die, he wanted to do it gloriously and with dignity."_

 _Sigyn smiled and he seemed to sense her blue eyes on him, so he looked over, capturing her gaze and making her blush a light pink. She flashed that beautiful smile of hers, showing off her_ _perfectly white teeth, and he found himself mesmerized by her. She was so beautiful._

 _"I never got your name," he said, nearly out of breath._

 _They had stopped walking, now just facing each other ... starring at each other ... lost within each other._

 _"Sigyn," she said with a bat of her lashes. "My name is Sigyn."_

 _"Sigyn," he repeated, the sound of her name on his tongue obviously effecting the both of them. "A wonderful name. Mine is Theoric."_

 _"Yes," she whispered, her face growing closer to his. "I thought so."_

 _Both were losing their breaths, feeling their hearts palpitate in rhythm with each others._

 _"Sigyn," he muttered._

 _"Yes, Theoric?"_

 _Her face got closer to his, noses nearly touching._

 _"I really like you," he confessed._

 _She smiled sweetly and let out a jovial sigh._

 _"I really like you, too," she added._

 _They were so close they could feel each other's hot breath on their faces. They felt the pull in the pit of their stomachs, and so brought their lips in for a connection ..._

 _And a connection would have been made had it not have been for a large crash followed by people's screaming erupting from inside the hall, spoiling the moment._

* * *

"Be honest with me," she seemed to beg as they sat together, one on either side of the glass barrier. "Do you believe there is ever going to be a chance for you to get out of here?"

Loki shrugged his shoulders like a small boy, playing with his thumbs as he chewed on his bottom lip.

"I don't know, Sig," he answered.

 _Sig_.

She hasn't heard that nickname in a long while, she had missed it immensely, and she hadn't even realized how much she craved to hear it again until he had said it. Only he was permitted to call her 'Sig.' No one else. Just him. And if anybody directed her by that name, no matter who it was, if it was not Loki she merely refused to answer them. She knew when it was or wasn't Loki just by the sound of his voice and how she was summoned. He never said it aggressively or jokingly or playfully. He only said it sweetly, like he had now, with some emotion behind it.

"I have thought about escaping many times," he went on to say, drawing Sigyn's attention away from her nickname and rather to what it was Loki was telling her. "I just have not figured out the right course of action just yet."

"I would assume speaking to the All Father is out of the question," she teased, making the corner of his mouth turn upwards, and actually have it stay like that as he looked to her.

"How do you do that?" he questioned, still smirking, but with some serious and comedic texture to his tone.

"Do what?" she asked with curiosity.

"What you just did," he elaborated. "Make any dark event or horrible thing into something light and playful? Take the most serious of matters and make them humors? How do you do it?"

She shrugged and rocked her head back and further as if stirring up some possible correct answer to his pending question.

"I do not know," she replied. "I guess, just being around you for as long as I have ... you pick up on a few things."

Both shared in some laughter, but it was short lived when the sound of armor clattering and swords being drawn echoed through the halls. Soon after, at least twenty Einherjar in uniform surrounded Loki's cell, causing him to stand and Sigyn to lean against the glass, unwilling to leave.

The All Father himself emerged from the center of the armed warriors, and looked back between his disowned son and the girl he had bellowed at not too long ago. It was clear he was angry with just the snarl that appeared on his wilting face. Beyond angry. More enraged.

"I gave a direct order," he began calmly, but it was obvious he was holding back. "A direct order for him to have no visitors. A direct order for no one- most of all, _you_ \- from coming down here and speaking to him. Not a day after I had told you to refrain from visiting him did you go and deliberately disobey your King, your All Father. And for that, Princess Sigyn of Asgard, I have no choice ... but to punish you for your crime."

Her jaw dropped open.

" _My crime?_ " she asked. "What crime?"

"Treason," Odin replied and gave a nod to two Einherjar, who proceed to approach Sigyn, shackles in hand.

"No," Loki said as he pressed his palms against the glass. "No. Please, can't she just stay a while longer? A minute? Just one?"

But no one listened to him. Odin didn't even look his way. He was nothing, but a ghost to them.

They captured Sigyn, she fighting them off as best as she could, but she was no match for them. The Einherjar quickly and swiftly subdued her, placing the shackles on her wrists and tightening them to fit her properly.

"At least do not carry her out of here like an animal!" Loki called, banging on the glass with his fists. "She does not deserve that! Hey! Escort her out of here with some dignity! What is wrong with you? She is your Princess! Show some respect!"

But the Einherjar refused to listen to a prisoner's words, and nearly dragged Sigyn away from his cell as she lashed out at them, kicking and fighting, bitting even. Anything she could think of to be released from her bonds, even screaming for her freedom.

"Let go of me!" she cried. "Let go! I have done nothing wrong! I was visiting family as every Asgardian citizen has a right to do! Let me go!"

But no matter how loud Loki or Sigyn screamed, she was still dragged through the dungeons, making it seem as though she were a prisoner herself, being humiliated before her people; imprisoned and dressed in gold.

"You vile cur," Loki cursed to Odin from within his prison. "You dare treat her with such disrespect when she is your last hope? You dare parade her about the dungeons like she is some pest that lives in Asgard's golden realm? You sicken me to my core, and I will get you for that, _Odin._ I _will_ get you for that."

The All Father paid his ex son no mind as he turned away from him, his back to Loki allowing the frost giant's words to just roll off of him, not taking Loki's threat seriously.

* * *

 _Theoric and Sigyn ran straight back into the Grand Hall where the celebration was being had, all the candles out and people cowering in the dark. Screams and whimpers of the distressed came about, and Sigyn felt something sticky under shoes. Lifting up her foot, she swiped up a sample of what was under her shoe and brought it to her nose to smell it._

 _"That is peculiar," she said to herself._

 _"What is it?" Theoric questioned, just as curious as she._

 _"Well ... it smells like ... like ... chocolate."_

 _The candles were illuminated once more by the All Mother's magical hands, light springing up amidst the darkness, and making it known to the crowd what had happened._

 _Sigyn's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she looked around the hall, finding the entire place not only smothered in chocolate, but seemingly_ transformed _into it. The tables were chocolate. The chairs, the floor, the chalices, the plates, the leftover food, the banners, the walls themselves! Everything!_

 _The guests were seated in it, their chairs having collapsed beneath them when they went to sit down for the ceremonially toast given by the All Father before dessert. The tables were literally melting and some girls were crying over their damaged hair styles, including many of Sigyn's sisters. All except Var, who thrived in her chocolate covered gown, stuffing fistfuls of it into her mouth._

 _The crowd became silent as one snicker was heard above all in the corner of the room. All eyes shifted to the creator of the disaster that had taken place. Loki covered his mouth with one hand and held his gut with the other, doing all he could to hide his smile, but failing at it miserably, though he didn't seem to desire to cover his laughter at all. Tears crept out of the corners of his eyes and his face was turning red from how hard he was laughing._

 _Thor, who was also covered from head to toe in the brown substance, looked around in slight embarrassment. However, when he saw the dagger eyes all thrusted in Loki's direction, Thor simply cleared his throat and swiped one finger across his sweetly covered face. He then placed his finger in his mouth and nodded in approval._

 _"Loki!" he bellowed, making his little brother's green eyes shine towards him, tears still_ _streaming down his face, and his mouth still slightly hidden by his hand._

 _"Brother?" he managed to squeak past his snickers and loss of breath._

 _"You did a marvelous job with dessert," Thor complimented._

 _Loki gave a dramatic bow, the first time Sigyn had seen his hand leave his face so that he may place it in the center of his chest._

 _"Why, dear brother," he said in that cool voice of his, "thank you very much."_

 _Once Loki stood up straight, both he and Thor began to laugh hysterically. Like there was no_ _tomorrow and that night was their only time to burst out with happiness. And once Prince Thor began to enjoy Prince Loki's harmless, yet over the top, prank the rest of the crowd joined in. They began to laugh and clap as though that is what they had meant to do all along, but Sigyn knew it was forced just so the public could stay on Thor's good side. And while Odin appeared to be flustered to the highest extent, the All Mother Frigga was genuinely sharing in her sons'_ _humor._

 _Theoric stood stiff, not finding the prank funny to any extent, and simply rolled his eyes and shook his head._

 _"Such a child he is," Theoric muttered._

 _Meanwhile, Sigyn was forcing herself not to burst out into a fit of giggles for Loki's playful trick._

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to check out my other stories, leave a review, and favorite/follow the story. Thanks again and in case I don't hear from you, Happy** **Halloween!**


	3. Pages

**I had to! I had to update!**

* * *

 _"I do hope to see you again soon," Theoric confessed outside of the palace, holding onto Sigyn's tiny, frail hands as people bid each other farewell and left the palace, for the evening had ended._

 _"I hope the same," Sigyn replied with a shy smile, another blush running up to her cheeks._

 _"Did you have fun tonight?" Theoric then questioned with a hint of worry in his eyes. She had no idea why, but she found it so adorable that he cared so deeply about the simplest things ... including her happiness._

 _She gushed and looked away so that she may recompose herself before giving a response. "In all honesty," she began, and then blinked her blue eyes back up to him. "Yes. The evening certainly was ... interesting, and is one I shan't forget any time soon."_

 _"You saying that just to make me feel better?" he questioned with a raised brow, making her giggle._

 _"Oh no, Theoric," Sigyn assured. "I mean it. Tonight was wonderful and beautiful and ... well ... a bit strange at parts." She crinkled her nose and he chuckled. "But, in a nutshell, it was one of the best nights of my life. Thank you, Theoric, for such an enjoyable time."_

 _He smiled sincerely. "You are most welcomed, dear Sigyn." He brought one of her knuckles to his mouth and kissed her skin softly, letting his lips linger for a moment as his chestnut eyes raced upwards to capture her blue ones. Her face had drained from color and her blue sparkles were wide in shock. She was so cute._

 _He released her then and bid her another goodbye before her mother's voice crashed, yet again, another moment for them._

 _"Sigyn!" she called from the bottom of the palace steps. "Let us go!"_

 _All of her sisters had been waiting patiently for her to finish up with whatever it was she had going on with the Crimson Hawk beside her. And so she nodded her head and removed herself from Theoric's grasp._

 _"Apologies," she said as she began to leave, "but I must go. Goodbye, Theoric. Be careful."_

 _He bowed his head in accordance with her will._

 _"As you command ... dear Sigyn," he muttered to himself, she not able to hear him._

* * *

She didn't believe the chains were necessary. They weren't- but she knew that Odin would get a kick out of just showing off his strength by having even one of Asgard's most innocent of people shackled and brought before him to face judgement.

She wasn't forced to spend the rest of the night in the dungeons, thank goodness, but she was locked up in her bedchambers with guards surrounding every inch of the permitter making it impossible to even think about sleep. So she lay awake all night, staring at the designs of her canopy and wondering why it was she had not noticed some of the crinkles in the top, a few shadows here and there, and some designs that appeared to be embedded into it out of mistake. Perhaps the reason she had never seen it before is because, most of the time, when she was laying on her back she wasn't too focused on the canopy above her.

Early in the morning shortly after breakfast- which she was deprived of- more guards entered her chambers and shackled her up once again, leading her to the throne room where some palace spectators had gathered, but not all that much. Mostly military men who would have Odin's back no matter if his sentence was to kill them for no point or purpose, but just for sport. Others were important people, such as Eir the healer and personal handmaidens to the befallen All Mother. Lady Sif was there and even Thor, the Warriors Three, and so she figured she had a shot.

The guards stopped her procession where Loki had stood not too long ago, and though her bondage was nowhere near as severe as his and she had not so many guards around her, she got the concept of how terrible it felt to be shackled and guarded like you were some crazed animal who- if let loose- would just go out and maul any living person you soon encountered. For good measure and to mess with Odin just a bit, Sigyn swung around her foot and kicked his throne steps with a smile.

"I really don't see what all the fuss it about," she taunted with a cocked eyebrow and a twisted smirk.

"Do not start, foolish girl," Odin said. "You know why you are here."

She began to walk a tad in the small bit of room she was permitted to roam by the guards.

"Oh yes," she said, "the _foolish_ girl. The foolish girl broke another law. The foolish girl went off and purposely broke said law. It _must_ have been the _influence_ that _he_ had upon _her._ It must be that _he_ has cursed her with some voodoo _jotun_ magic. The _foolish_ girl went off her rocker again. She _must_ be," she brought a finger to her head and spun it around, "crazy." She dropped her hands, letting the shackles clank together. "Crazy is the only thing that makes sense."

"You are not here," Odin stopped her from carrying on, "out of belief of insanity, Sigyn. You are here for committing treason; one of Asgard's most heinous of crimes."

"Now, let us evaluate that, All Father. If we may."

"Sigyn," Thor interrupted, stepping forward slightly. "Please do not make this worse."

She flashed her eyes quickly from side to side before looking back to him and smiling sinisterly.

"Define worse," she came up with before turning back to the All Father.

"Now," she continued, "you say I am guilty of treason, yet you declared not too long ago that every Asgardian citizen, should a family member be imprisoned, has a right to visit said prisoner on a occasion. You defined a family member as;" she began to list them on her fingers, "mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, wife and or husband. The way I see it, All Father, I am not breaking any laws. In fact, if anyone here is breaking a law," she pointed to the guilty one, "it's _you. You_ went back on _your_ word. I did not. I was simply visiting family as I have a right to do. Now, don't tell me I'm wrong, or else you would be _lying_ , All Father. And we all _know_ how much you _detest liars_."

"As true as your statements are," Odin countered, "I sent out an order as King that no one- including family- was permitted to speak to _that_ prisoner. My power as King overrides _any_ law set in this kingdom."

"Including your own?" Sigyn questioned with a furrowed brow, tempting the All Father.

"Do. Not. Test. Me, Sigyn," Odin huffed.

"I am willing to surrender to your charges, All Father," she proudly subjected. "Lock me up in a cell in the dungeons under the soil. Let me rot in chains. But keep in mind, most of the prisoners down there are males and you do not have one spare cell. All of the women cells are filled. I would not, however, mind sharing a cell with Loki. He seems like pleasant company."

Sif subdued a smirk as many others in the room rolled their eyes. But not even Thor could deny Sigyn's bravery and humors approach to the matter. She was facing a large punishment. Most people convicted of treason would be on their knees before the All Father begging for mercy, but not her. No. Barely has Sigyn ever begged to Odin. She has only ever fought or accepted her fate. She knew when she could change things and she knew when she could not, and she also had the patience to let that be.

"Your humor," Odin spoke, "will get you nowhere, Sigyn. It is dry and flat and- quite frankly- unentertaining. You want to be convicted of treason? So be it, and you will be confined to share a cell with women who have committed murder. You seem to enjoy being around that type of personality an awful lot."

"Father," Thor spoke up in Sigyn's defense. "I beg of you to reconsider."

"This is not your fight, Thor," Odin dismissed.

"It is," the prince argued. "She is my sister. Maybe not by blood, but she is still family and it is still my duty to protect her if it should come to that. She is the most innocent of souls to reside in this realm; you know that as well as I do. As well as the _people_ do. She was merely doing her duty, not as a citizen or Princess, but as a companion. Please, All Father. Reconsider. She is possibly Asgard's last hope for peace and tranquility now that Mother is gone; and you know that Mother _loved_ Sigyn dearly, as if she were her own daughter. She fought for Loki on far much more monstrous charges. You don't believe she would fight for Sigyn with these?"

Odin merely brushed his son's remarks away, ignoring the truth in his words as he knew very well that his wife dotted upon Sigyn as though she had raised the girl herself. He knew of her desires before she died- should anything happen to her and the throne was left open to an All Mother, she made it clear whom she desired to fill it. But Frigga was no longer her, and so her opinion no longer mattered.

"She does not deny her treason, and so her sentence will be carried out. That sentence could very well be the axe that she faces," the King declared.

"If I'm for the axe," Sigyn said as she stepped forward, "than for mercy's sake, just _swing it_."

"Enough!" he roared, making her stifle her laughter poorly. "Enough words from you! I have dealt with listening to the words of your kindness and mercy and fidelity ever since I made you a goddess! I have regretted it ever since! No more words from you or it will be _your_ mouth that is sewn shut! _Your_ tongue that is removed! I will make you mute one way or another if you continue to speak pity of him, you small child!"

"I am a _child_?" she pointed to herself with sarcastic shock. "Meanwhile it is someone else in this room who appears to be losing their temper." She lifted up her hands as if to show her innocence. "I won't name names, but ..."

Odin banged his spear on the floor, causing the large echo to fill the throne room and seemingly shake the palace, the _realm_ itself.

" _Silence!_ " he roared as loud as Thor's thunder.

"Father," Thor chimed in again, "it's the words of her sorrows that speaks. She has lost a caring mother figure, and she believed she had lost her spouse, but when he returned to her he was taken away yet again. She is alone."

"She has the citizens of Asgard to fill her emptiness. They have all suffered loss and do not go about breaking the law to fill it. She will be imprisoned and if she speaks again, I will have her tongue removed from her mouth." He said that last part as though it weren't a threat, but a promise. Still, Sigyn smiled.

"Very well," Thor said and stood between Sigyn and his father. "Then you must put us in a cell together, for I committed treason as well. I aided Sigyn in making it to the dungeons. I granted her passage to his cell intentionally breaking your command. You must arrest me as well or arrest neither of us. You cannot let one royal walk free of one of Asgard's most horrid crimes while the other is imprisoned. You cannot send your people that message; that favoritism is played in the House of Odin."

"But that is the way it has been in the House of Odin, dear brother," Sigyn said. "Favoritism. For as long as he had a blond haired child and a black haired one."

Sif could see the blood boiling under the All Father's skin and so stepped forward to supply aid for her Prince and Princess.

"All Father, Sigyn is but a submissive," she spoke clearly. "She has subjected herself to Loki's will. She has a duty to him, as she does this kingdom. She has never been a foe to Asgard, but only a beacon of kindness and mercy. She is good, and within your heart of hearts, you know this to be true."

The handmaidens of the dead queen stepped forward as well, standing in between Odin and the accused.

"We believe that the All Mother would not have desired Princess Sigyn to be imprisoned, All Father," the one with brown hair said for all of her sisters. "The All Mother has only ever shown trust and love for her. She would not want to see Princess Sigyn in a cage."

"Neither would the people," Fandral stepped up, followed by the rest of the warriors. "We have accompanied her on many her evenings walking about the streets of Asgard. As she passed by each citizen, they looked her way with love and respect. Children ran to her, embraced her with warm hugs of affection which she gladly returned. Women approached her constantly and spoke of awe of her for being brave and true and strong. Men complimented her for her wisdom and beauty. The citizens _adore_ her, All Father ... as we do."

"She has helped cure the sick," Eir added, taking a place beside Sif. "Many times she has come to the healing chambers and offered her assistance. And many times it has proven to be helpful. She gave the ill hope. Even the warriors who were wounded in battle. She held their hands, sang to them, spoke to them, praised them, comforted them when she wasn't medically aiding myself and the other healers."

With all the words of praise, with all the promise of good fortune, it was clear that no matter how Sigyn got her status or title as Princess of Asgard that the public welcomed her to it with open arms and big hearts. She fit the mold more perfectly than any other candidate for the position, and that was why Frigga had placed so much trust within her; Sigyn was like her in so many ways. She was a reflection of Frigga, and even Odin himself could not deny that.

He sighed, knowing that if he was to carry out the sentence, his image during the most crucial of times would be tarnished, and no one needed that at the moment. The citizens needed to have faith in their king, and so he caved. He had no other choice.

"She is confound to her bedchambers for a week," he ordered. "She is not to leave for any reason. Meals shall be brought to her. Clothing she may have, but access to any place within this realm is strictly prohibited. Break my law again, _foolish girl_ , and you will be sent to live the rest of your days in the dungeons. No matter of sweet and praising words will save you then. Away with her."

The guards grabbed Sigyn by the shoulders and began to pull her away. Though, she walked backwards and made sure her blue eyes were fixated on Odin's only remaining one, silently promising him that this was not the last time he would be dealing with her. Eventually, when she was out of the throne room and removed from Odin's vision, she walked forward and allowed the guards to escort her back to her chambers.

* * *

 _Of course the sisters had to talk about the evening they had ... as they scrubbed themselves and their fabrics to remove the chocolate from their dresses. All of them were annoyed at the prank pulled that night, having their fingers turn prune for their mother would not allow them to go to bed until their dresses were washed to perfection. 'We don't need bugs in the house,' she had said, and so the girls got to work._

 _Sigyn, of course, was excused from the chore, having stepped outside when Loki pulled his little stunt. Lucky her was able to just remove her light blue gown and change into her nightdress. Once that was done, she untangled her hair and let it fall against her back in thick waves of curls having that design embedded into her locks from the string that held them together. She slid into her slippers and shuffled outside to where she rinsed her shoes, the bottom of them sticky with chocolate._

 _She thought back to the humors prank and could not help, but to give a small giggle as she did so. It was rather funny- seeing her sisters all coiled up in distress and having women all around her complain of their damaged dos and stained dresses. Always so prissy were the women in Asgard, and Sigyn knew for a fact that had she have been in the room when it underwent its transformation, she probably would have done what Var did and licked herself clean. She always did have a sweet tooth._

 _Afterwards, she climbed into bed and opened up another book, one that spoke of the current royal family of Asgard, not that there was that much of an extension. There was only one other king before Odin. In any case, Sigyn didn't read the text. She studied the pictures and tried to decipher what it was the text was saying._

 _The first illustration was that of King Bor, dressed in gold like every king of Asgard and seated upon the throne, proudly gazing into the eye of the beholder, as if telling them that 'because of me, this realm is forever and always the seat of power.'_

 _"Such a childish prank that was," once sister scolded, though Sigyn was unawares of which one it was. Either Snotra or Syn, she knew for the next comment was;_

 _"I liked it!" That had to be Var._

 _"Of course you liked it." Sigyn saw out of the corner of her eye that Syn was the one speaking. "You are too young to understand just how foolish it was."_

 _A quick knock on the door came upon them, and so Snotra got up to answer it. The rest of the sisters came scrambling in, wanting to discuss their first night out together at the palace._

 _"Can you believe where we were tonight?" Sjofn began as Snotra closed the door behind them, not wanting to alarm their mother if she had fallen asleep._

 _"I am still trying to get used to it," Lofn commented, bringing her hands together and closing her eyes, drawing in the memories of the night._

 _"Never have we been surrounded by so much food!" Idunn added._

 _"Indeed not," Nanna chimed._

 _"The music was splendid, was it not?" Syn jumped up on her bed, giving herself a twirl in the air before falling onto the mattress. "So upbeat and moving. Perfect to dance to, wasn't it?"_

 _"It sure was," Lofn agreed._

 _Sigyn merely turned the page in her book, onto an illustration of Odin and several words on the page provided. She was more focused on her book than her sisters' conversation._

 _"I danced with so many people, my feet got sore," Snotra praised, and for a split moment, Sigyn thought back to how much agony her feet were in not too long after she began dancing._

 _"Me too!" Idunn spoke with glee. "I danced with several noblemen. Even the god Bragi." Her sisters all gasped at her comment. All of them, save for Sigyn._

 _Next page. Odin was boring her. Prince Thor, with not much of a description beside his illustration, was next and she still attempted to read what was written. She managed to understand a few words; war, defeat, slain, wound and prince, but that was about it._

 _"Are you serious, Idunn?" Lofn questioned, nearly tugging on her sister's arm as she did so._

 _Idunn smiled with great pride and joy, clearly awestruck by what had happened to her that evening._

 _"Aye, it is true." She sighed with affection. "We danced. He spoke poetry into my ear. We drank. It was amazing."_

 _Nanna rolled her eyes, obviously believing that her dancing partner was far more superior than that of her sister's. "I danced with Balder," she announced, making all eyes shift to her._

 _Flip._

 _Thor was getting annoying. Onto the All Mother; Frigga._

 _"You danced with Balder ... the Beautiful?" Snotra asked for her sisters, and Nanna dipped her head as the answer, shutting her eyes and obviously blushing. No one had ever seen her cheeks turn as red as they had in that moment. It was clear that she was telling no lies. She had danced with Balder the Beautiful and she was still in awe of it._

 _"What was it like?" Sjofn questioned and all the sisters clutched the edge of their seats, awaiting an answer._

 _"It was ..." Nanna began to explain._

 _Flip._

 _"Unlike anything in any of the realms."_

 _An illustration of Loki appeared on the next page._

* * *

Her chambers were not as bad as she thought. She found ways to occupy her time and that was by exploring. One would think that being confound to these chambers for as long as she has been, she would have had the time to look through every book on the shelf. But there was just too many. She doubted the owner of them had the time to read over every single word on every single page of every single book either. So now was the time to do one of her favorite things in the worlds and that was flip pages.

She quickly skimmed over the spines of the books, looking for one in particular, and she finally found what she was looking for; Records.

She removed the book from its slot and slapped it down on the desk in the corner of the room, covered with many more books and quills with ink bottles scattered about and loose papers everywhere. She cleared off the center and placed the heavy book down on the oak, pulling up her chair and looking over the table of contents.

The years that the Asgardians followed were written and beside them were page numbers. She found the year she was looking for and so pulled up the large bulk of old pages, flipping to the one she had held with her index finger.

 _496._

Dust spurted up into her face once she dropped the pages onto the back of the cover, slamming them against the desk. She coughed and waved the dust particles away from her so that she may read what was written on the page.

 _King Odin, Years One through Twenty of Reign._

She used her index finger to guide herself. Whoever had written the book had mighty fine penmanship, so thank goodness for that.

 _Number of Citizens_ _318.9 Million Approximated._

 _Number of Those Imprisoned 2,220,300 Approximated._

 _Number of Deaths During Times of Peace 55,238,376 Approximated._

 _Number of Deaths During Times of War 56,237,400 Approximated._

 _Poverty Rate 14.8% of Citizens Living in Poverty Approximated. 46.7 Million Citizens Living in Poverty Approximated._

 _Unemployment Rate 5.5% of Citizens Unemployed Approximated._

She sat back in her chair, bringing her hand to her forehead and attempting to wipe away the stress. She sighed with great burden, peeking back at the page before her. Her realm was not looking too good when Odin had stepped into power. She decided to skip ahead a few pages to see acts that were suggested to improve the realm, but never made. It was mostly by Queen Frigga's work.

Page _586._ All works dealing with keeping the public up on its feet and employing the people who were jobless. Simple jobs like street cleaning, work in construction, helping to build ships, weapons, schools, homes and so many other projects just to put money in their pockets and keep them occupied so they would not go out and commit crimes. She wondered why such acts were never put into play, but could not find the answer anywhere in that book. She scrunched her nose in disgust before flipping to the next page.

 _Orphanage Project as Proposed by Prince Loki of Asgard_

Sigyn's eyes stopped there, opening wide. She had no idea Loki had ever proposed something, let alone something like dealing with children who did not have families. She looked to the date he proposed it and noticed that it was before the two had met. Curious, she read it.

 _In order to provide work for those unemployed and to give shelter for the children who are without families, Asgard should look to establish new orphanages. One for each city should be built with no less than three floors holding no less than three hundred children, no more than five hundred children, and no less than one hundred and fifty staff members who are of proper age to be a legal guardian for the children within the realm's care. Of course, proportions are subject to change depending on amount of children per orphanage._

 _No less than fifteen percent of all taxpayers' monies should provide support for these orphanages including, but not limited to;_

 _Food._

 _Clothing._

 _Shoes._

 _Beds._

 _Health Care._

 _Education._

 _Hygiene._

 _Staff Pay._

 _Entertainment._

 _And any other basic needs the children and staff may require._

 _The orphanages shall provide care for children upon reaching the age equivalent to 18 in midgardian years. Upon their dismissal, orphans shall be promised work and new living conditions. If failed to receive work and or new living conditions that are suitable and stable for a citizen of Asgard, the citizen shall be welcomed into the palace of Asgard until he or she has earned enough pay to support themselves._

More information was provided, but that part is what she focused on the most. So Loki had a soft spot for orphans? He pressed the matter very strongly. She read just how many times the bill had been revised and presented to the All Father and how many times he rejected it. She was in awe of the number.

128.

* * *

 _His green eyes stared back at her with something a little more powerful than basic mischief. More like something evil, but she knew better than to be frightened of an illustration, so she looked to the words on the page beside the picture and skimmed over them, sounding each out in her head._

 _"And then he leaned in," Nanna cooed, "and kissed my cheek so delicately that I nearly felt nothing."_

 _The girls giggled with a flirtatious flair. It was as though they got a natural high just by talking about boys. They needed to speak of them every chance they got, and if they failed to do so then Sigyn wasn't all that sure that they would survive._

 _"What about you, Sigyn?" she heard one of her sisters call, and so she looked over to them, removing her eyes from the page in her book. "What did you do tonight? Dance with anyone special?"_

 _She took a moment to gather her thoughts, and just when she was about to respond with the truth, she bit her tongue. It felt strange, in a way, with the book open to that particular page as she was speaking of another person. It was almost like she felt guilty for enjoying herself so much with Theoric. Almost as though she was cheating ... on_ Loki. _But that didn't make any sense! She hadn't even said two words to the prince. She had only seen him in person once, for the first time, and that was that night! Fate was hysterical._

 _She peeked back at the illustration of him and immediately got chills running down her spine. Her blood became cold and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck spring up to attention. She slammed the book shut, unwilling to look at_ him _any longer._

 _"Rather uneventful," she lied._

 _Wait, what? Lied? Sigyn lied?_

 _"You're so full of it." Snotra laughed. "Syn and I saw you walk off with some Crimson Hawk. That's why you weren't covered head to toe in the chocolate mess the prince caused."_

 _All the girls scoffed at that._

 _"The evening was going so well," Lofn stated. "And then_ that _happened."_

 _"I know," Sjofn added with a roll of the eyes. "I mean, it can't get worse than that."_

 _"Actually, it can," Sigyn said in a near whisper. "It could have been horse dung or red wine. Those stains are impossible to remove."_

 _The girls simply blew her comment off as unimportant._

 _"Does not matter what it was," Nanna assured. "It was horrible to say the least. This was a night of seriousness and triumphant, and_ he _had to go and ruin all of it."_

 _"_ He _is the God of Mischief, you know, and he_ _has a name," Sigyn muttered and folded her arms over her chest without even realizing it._

 _"What is your problem, Sigyn?" Syn asked, leaning forward on her bed. "Have a little crush, do we, on the second prince of Asgard?"_

 _She furrowed her brow and looked over to her sisters._

 _"You're joking, right?"_

 _They giggled and began in their teasing._

 _"She does!" Sjofn spoke with excitement._

 _"Just look at how red her face is!" Lofn cried._

 _"Aw, little Sigyn," Idunn teased._

 _"What I wonder is; why the second prince?" Snotra questioned. "Why_ Prince Loki? _He is no Prince Thor. He could not stand in a fight."_

 _Sigyn sat up in her bed, brushing her blonde hair back and growing frustrated with her sisters' accusations about who she threw her affections to because they were dead wrong. She did not care for Loki. As of that moment, Theoric was stealing her heart._

 _"Look, I am not saying that I have a crush on Prince Loki. What I am saying is that people often have the wrong idea of someone else based on appearances and appearances alone. Have you ever seen Prince Loki in combat?"_

 _Snotra, reluctantly, shook her head. "No."_

 _"No, you haven't. Everyone has different ways of doing things. Prince Thor may be strong, so it may be that Prince Loki is quick. You never know. And I say he has a name because no matter how childish he may act or no matter how much he ticks you off, he is still your prince and you must respect him to a point. When Prince Thor ascends to throne, Prince Loki is going to be a close adviser to him. No matter what happens, Prince Loki will always be at least one rank above you, and that is just the way things are. You must treat your superiors with respect; titles and all."_

 _Her statements had silenced her sisters, and so she fell back onto her bed, resting her head in her pillow just as their mother walked in with a candle in her hand, dressed in her nightgown and slippers on her feet._

 _"What are you girls still doing up?" she questioned as she looked to each of her children._

 _"Aw, Mother," Lofn spoke for the girls, "we couldn't sleep after a night like this."_

 _"You'll have plenty of time to discuss it tomorrow," she reminded them. "No off to bed with you. Come on now, you four," she directed towards the older sisters. "Back to your room. Let's go."_

 _They sighed, but obeyed, rising from their sisters' beds and stalking out of the room, off to their own beds and own dreams shared silently in their minds._

 _"You girls get some sleep. You all had a big night," Freya ordered before blowing out the candle that had lit their room. "Goodnight my darlings," she whispered before shutting the door and subduing the girls into darkness._

 _"Despite titles," Syn muttered in the pitch blackness of their room, "that Prince has problems."_

 _Snotra agreed with her own words._

 _"Yes, he does. I swear, that prince - if he could even be called that- is the most idiotic, most insecure, most rotten pest to live in this realm."_

 _Sigyn rolled her eyes silently to herself and countered her sisters' claims once more as she picked up her book to continue her "reading."_

 _"Able to draw that conclusion after but one night?" she questioned, to which Snotra and Syn were silenced._

* * *

She tossed another book to the side, throwing it over her shoulder before picking another one from the shelf, flipping through the pages and then repeating the process. She had a stack of tossed books building up behind her, but she didn't care. She sat cross legged on the floor and continued in her search in finding a needle in a haystack.

 _Where is it? Where is it?_ she thought to herself as she tossed another book behind her.

 _He must have put it someplace so stupid ... Wait!_

She skimmed the pages and sulked.

 _Nope._

She threw it behind her and picked up the next book, but tossed it as soon as her handmaiden had entered, nearly whacking her in the face with the flying book.

"My Princess, lunch for y- woah!" She ducked right on time, just being missed by her lady's chuck.

"Sorry, sweetie," Sigyn quickly apologized, looking over her shoulder to see if her maiden was hurt. "Did I strike you?"

The maid set down the tray she carried on the oak desk in the corner and straightened out her gown.

"No," she said as she caught her breath and composed herself. "Just missed me. May I ask why it is you are throwing your books around, or would that be considered prying?"

Sigyn smiled softly before turning her attention back to the shelf. Just five more left on this one, and if the book she was searching for was not there, she would have to climb up the towering ladder and reach for the very top shelf. That was something she didn't feel like doing.

"I'm looking for one in particular," Sigyn responded as she threw another book behind her. "One that the All Mother gave to Prince Loki before she passed, and then he gave to me on my birthday."

"A most wonderful of gifts," the maiden commented.

"Absolutely," Sigyn added before throwing another book behind her. "But it would seem as though I cannot find it anywhere. I have no idea where he freaking put it! He so enjoys hiding my things! Everything is a game to him! Damn that man!" Another book came flying over her shoulder.

The maiden could not help, but to smile.

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance?" she offered. "I do clean this room often. What type of book is it?"

"A spell book," Sigyn replied. "But all of these spell books look the same!" Last book, she threw it over her shoulder with a loud huff before crossing her arms over her chest and staring up at the ceiling to floor book case.

 _So high_ , she thought to herself. _Why must it be so high?_

"Was it a blue cover?" the maiden questioned, taking note that all the books Sigyn had tossed behind her were blue covered.

"Yes," the Princess answered.

"Rather thick?"

"Indeed."

The maiden giggled, capturing Sigyn's attention with the gesture.

"Apologies, Princess," she began. "It's just that ... well, something like that could be anywhere! You know how random the Prince can be. I once found a potion stuffed under his pillow, a sword stashed in his washroom, and a flower hidden in the piano!"

That didn't help much ... not until she reevaluated the facts.

 _"...and a flower hidden in the piano!"_

She perked up once she caught on to Loki's logic, turning to her maiden swiftly and unfolding her arms, pointing to the woman in the apron.

"Was it a purple flower?" she questioned, to which the maiden thought about for a moment.

"Aye, it was. A beautiful purple flower." She shrugged. "But, my Princess, what does that have to do with anything?"

Sigyn completely ignored her as she scrambled to her feet.

"Of course!" she called as she raced to the other end of the overly large room. "The piano! How did I not think to look there first!" She slid to a stop with her maiden trailing behind her.

"Princess, what is the meaning behind your excitement? You really believe the Prince would stash a spell book-"

Once Sigyn had opened the piano lid, sure as day, there was the spell book, resting right on top.

"Ah-ha!" Sigyn sang as she plucked the book from its hiding place, holding it close to her chest, as if it were her lost child.

"The book was in the piano," her maiden muttered, lost within the randomness. "How did you know?"

"That purple flower was another gift from him," Sigyn explained as she began to flip through the pages of the familiar book. This was certainly the one. "He made me look for it all day!"

She found the page she had been searching for, ceasing in her flipping and skimming the instructions over. She smiled to herself, shaking her head in the know.

"That brilliant man," she commented as she skimmed over the page. "He knew I would do this."

"Do what, my Princess?" the maiden questioned, but Sigyn brushed her off. She couldn't have any witnesses.

"Thank you for lunch and all your help, sweetie," she began and lead her maiden towards the door. "But I can handle things from here. You go and do whatever it is you need to do around the palace. Bye bye."

"Aye, Princess," the maiden managed to squeak before Sigyn shut her chamber doors and locked them tight.

She moved over to the oak desk where her lunch waited for, but she pushed her meal aside. She wasn't all that hungry, and was far more focused on the spell Loki had attempted to teach her before his disappearance. An illusion of sorts, something that his mother had taught him with the very same book. There were great risks involved, however, like getting caught in limbo. It didn't matter. A lot could happen in a week. She couldn't afford to wait that long. She needed to speak to Loki before anything else happened. This was her only way to do so.

* * *

 _She had set her book on the nightstand beside her bed, closed it with the cover facing upwards. All four of the sisters were fast asleep with dreams going about in their heads, darkness cloaking the room for the perfect sleeping conditions. It was slightly windy outside, however. A little howl every now and then, but not enough to wake the girls up._

 _Sigyn laid in her bed, dreaming peacefully of her time with Theoric. She saw them continuing their dance in a golden meadow, alone, where no one could interrupt them. They were smiling and dancing, laughing and even falling into the tall grass in which concealed them in their moment of happiness._

 _They lay together, the sun beaming down upon their faces, lighting up those magnificent chestnut eyes of his, making Sigyn's heart stop. Theoric traced the contours of her face with gentle feather like fingertips, bringing upon her chills. He was so tender, though he appeared as if he could easily snap her in two. She wasn't frightened, though. She was only lost within bliss._

 _"If I were in danger," she began, "would you fight for me?"_

 _"Until my dying breath," he replied._

 _"Would you ..." she grew nervous, and the wind outside her room grew stronger. "Ever kiss me?"_

 _And stronger._

 _"I want to now, Sigyn. I have wanted to kiss you ever since I saw you," Theoric answered._

 _And stronger._

 _"Kiss me?" she suggested, to which Theoric smiled and leaned in close._

 _POW!_

 _Her window bursted open, the curtains whacking her in the face, her book on the nightstand flying open, pages flapping back and forth. Sigyn, though disappointed that even in her dreams it would seem that the moments were interrupted as well, jumped out of her bed and forced the window shut. Moonlight dipped into the room, no longer blocked out by the curtains, allowing Sigyn to see that her sisters had not been awakened by the sudden disturbance._

 _She panted to catch her breath, pushed back her hair and made sure the window was secure before crawling back into bed. She noticed then that her book had flown open, and so went to close it ... but froze when she saw what page it had flipped open to._

 _There he was once again._

 _Staring right back at her._

 _Loki._

 _She slammed the book shut, slid it under her bed, and immediately pulled the covers over her head, fearing that someone was spying on her; body and mind._

* * *

 **Yeah, probably going to update again on Halloween. I just couldn't resist.**


	4. Kiss

**Happy Halloween!**

* * *

 _It has been a week. A week since the celebration in the palace. A week since she had discovered her mother's relationship with the queen. A week since she saw the two princes in person. A week since she danced with Theoric._

 _A week seemed like a year._

 _It had gotten fairly cooler out since the day she had shared a dance and nearly a kiss with the Crimson Hawk. Breezes were more frequent, the temperature had dropped some, and the house's hearth constantly had a flame within it. Her job because of this; to collect more firewood and as much as she could, for soon it would begin to snow and that led to damp logs._

 _So she went out with her axe, gloves on with a cloak to cover herself, but the cloak was full of holes. It did not do much to protect her from the cold. In any case, she set the logs atop the stump, positioned herself and brought the axe down in one great thrust, splitting the log, but not in a half. It usually took her three or four swings to get the log completely split. So she repositioned herself, brought the axe down to the log and witnessed splinters fly as one half of the wood fell onto either side of the stump. She setup another log, and repeated the process._

 _She had managed to cut three logs in the time she was outside, sweating some as she did so when one of her sisters came out to speak to her, her own cloak with holes around her shoulders. Lofn walked straight towards Sigyn, something within her gloved hands._

 _"Come to help?" Sigyn questioned with a pant as she swung her axe, splitting another log._

 _"You have your duties and I have mine," Lofn said. "Mother sent me out here to tell you to rush in your task so you can get washed up."_

 _Sigyn paid her sister half a mind as she positioned another piece of wood on the stump, preparing to chop it._

 _"Oh? Why is that?" she questioned as she hacked away._

 _"We have a guest coming," Lofn replied. "The All Mother."_

 _Another swing and the log was chopped in two, Sigyn taking a break to focus on her sister and catch her breath. Splitting logs was a lot harder than it looked._

 _"Why?" she asked, to which her sister shrugged._

 _"No idea. Anyway, she will be here by this afternoon. Oh," she held out the letter in her hands, "and this came in the mail for you."_

 _Sigyn pondered the importance and reason of the envelope that she now held, curious as to who sent it and what it contained. But there was no name on it besides her own and no mark on it aside from the symbol of Asgard on the wax seal._

 _"Who sent it?" she questioned Lofn, who shook her head._

 _"No idea. Mother says come in in about an hour to get cleaned up." With that, Lofn walked away, heading back inside._

 _In her privacy, with nothing but her axe and logs, Sigyn broke the seal of the envelope and removed the letter that was inside it. She unfolded it, struggling to do so because of the gloves, but prevailed in her task and looked to a bunch of scribbles on the piece of paper. She couldn't decipher it. She couldn't understand any of it, but she was able to read the name at the top of the page- her own- and the one at the bottom; Theoric._

What did he say?

 _She had no idea. She couldn't read it. She could have someone else read it to her. Her mother, perhaps?_

No.

 _Sigyn decided against it. She didn't want her mother getting involved in her love life, if she could even call it that. Not yet, at least. None of her sisters could read, and she wouldn't want them involved anyway. Well, if she couldn't translate it ... who would?_

* * *

 _All right, Sigyn. Focus._

She rubbed her templs with her fingers tenderly, attempting to relax her mind and settle on the task at hand. She had to surround her thoughts around the one thing she had to do; on the spell. It wasn't going to be easy, but if engaged enough, she knew she could do it.

 _Remember your training,_ she tells herself as she shuts her eyes tight and recalls the sound of Loki's voice in her head when he first began to teach her magic.

"Don't think," he would say. "Magic is not mental. It is physical. Spiritual. You don't think it. You feel it. All you have to do is want something. Want something really _really_ badly ... and then just allow yourself to have it! That's magic, Sig. That's how you make magic."

 _Make magic, Sigyn. Strong, solid focus on what you want. You want to be there. With him. You want to be in his cell. You want to be with Loki._

She felt the feeling in her fingertips, her magic pricking at her skin, fizzing like she had too many drinks and she was just beginning to feel the affects.

 _Loki,_ she thinks to herself. _You want to be with Loki. You want to be in his cell. You will be in his cell. You are in his cell. In his cell. In his cell._

"I see you made it into my cell," Loki's voice interrupted her concentration.

She peeked opened her eyes and found herself standing in a large glass containment that had been destroyed. Markings on the walls and all, furniture flipped over. It was just as she remembered it to be and Loki exactly as she left him.

"Welcome," he jokingly greeted as he stood before her.

"Loki," she breathed and rushed into him, embracing him tightly having missed the feeling of his flesh.

To her own surprise, he hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her shoulder. They didn't speak or move. They just stood and held each other. Their first form of affectionate human contact in such a long while; they had nearly forgotten what it felt like.

"Oh, Sig," Loki broke the silence softly. "You have no idea how good it feels just to hold you."

She smiled into the crick of his neck, he being so much taller than her.

"That has to be one of the nicest things you ever said to me," she muttered into him.

She felt him exhale before pulling away, still having a hold on her waist and her arms still wrapped around his neck. His blue eyes matched with hers, connecting tightly as both shared in a smile.

"You did the spell perfectly. Not even Mother went this far. She merely sent an illusion of herself. How did you manage to get your entire self in here?" he questioned.

 _Oh no._

Her smile faltered and her blue eyes opened wide.

"I only meant to send an _illusion_ ," she confessed. "I didn't mean to send my _entire body_. I was trying to do the same spell that she performed."

Loki chuckled.

"Well, you took it to the next level. How did you do it?"

With his hair all disheveled a few strands of it fell into his face, nearly covering his eyes. Loki was never one to hide behind his own features, and he wasn't about to start doing it now. So she brushed back the befallen strands with a gentle finger as she explained to him what had happened.

"I just told myself how badly I wanted to see you ..." she began, getting lost in his face. He really was quite beautiful. "... And I guess I wanted it more than I realized."

He smiled sincerely, her hand lingering on his face, her palm against his cheek. He leaned into her touch, having missed affection for the longest time.

"Thank goodness for that," he whispered, gazing into her loving, warm blue eyes.

* * *

 _She hauled in the logs she had chopped and took a quick bath before changing from her rag of a dress into something more suitable for the queen's visit. She went with a slim, light blue gown that had slits on the side of the abdomen, showing off her perfect figure and just how slim she was. It was cut low, showing her cleavage and providing support with its holster straps. She let her blonde hair fly free, just combing it some in the mirror._

 _Once she finished her work on her appearance, she looked over to the letter that rested on her bed. The one Theoric had signed. She unfolded it, taking a seat on her bed and attempted to read it again, but it came to no avail. The runes meant nothing to her. Only few words did she understand; think, Sigyn, tavern, All Father, Crimson Hawk. That was about it. She huffed at her own failures, desiring to know what he wrote. She had to find someone to translate it, to read it to her, but she had no idea who to ask._

 _Var busted into the room, startling her sister who quickly slipped the letter under her pillow._

 _"The All Mother is here!" her little sister expressed in an excited whisper. "And she brought the prince with her, too."_

 _Sigyn inwardly frowned._

Ugh. Prince Thor, too?

 _She kept her disappointment a secret, knowing her little sister would rat her out in a heartbeat and she meant no disrespect to the royal family, especially not the queen. So she just nodded._

 _"All right, Var. I will be down in a moment," she informed the youngest of sisters, sending her on her way as she quickly fluffed up her hair and took one last glimpse at the letter, fearing she would never understand what it meant._

 _She wandered down the stairs, already hearing the voices of her mother and the queen, conversing in high spirits, introducing each sister._

 _She could hear the sound of her sisters curtsying to their queen and her son, and she knew very well that she would be forced to do the same._

 _"He insisted on coming," the All Mother stated as Sigyn began making her way down the steps. "He is just so involved with the people. He enjoys visiting the city with me whenever it is I venture out of the palace."_

 _"Quite understandable," Freya said in response to Frigga's claims. "A wonderful thing to do, as well. Thank you for joining us, my Queen and my Prince, and I do hope you find the home to your liking."_

 _When she made it to the last step, her breath hitched in her throat, witnessing the scene that was playing out before her; just as shocked as the rest of her sisters. Maybe even more so._

 _The All Mother was there, of course, as was the prince ... something else caught Sigyn off guard._

 _"Ah," Freya illuminated. "There she is. This is my middle daughter, Sigyn. Sigyn, of course you know of the All Mother, Frigga."_

 _Sigyn did and knew to curtsy before her queen._

 _"Your Majesty," she spoke as she did the kind gesture of politeness._

 _"And the heir of Asgard," Freya continued, "Prince Loki."_

 _Sigyn was about to curtsy before him as well, but she was stopped before she could do so. Before she could grab the edges of her dress to lift it as she bent her knees, Loki had grabbed one of her hands in his, his thumb running over her frail fingers as softly as a feather. He lowered his face, getting close to her skin._

 _"A pleasure to meet you ..." he brushed his lips over her knuckles, green eyes locked on her blue ones as he did so, taking longer to complete the action than necessary. "... Sigyn."_

* * *

"Your hand is bleeding," she noticed, having felt the warm liquid on her skin when he touched her.

Both her and Loki looked to his wound, noticing his palm was leaking.

"Probably isn't the only thing," he informed her, but she was focused on the cut that was noticeable to her naked eye.

She rushed him over to the bed, setting him down, not even noticing that his foot was bleeding as well. She didn't see it. She was too concerned with his palm.

"What have you done to yourself, Loki?" she asked as she ripped a piece of cloth off from his messed up bed sheets. She turned back to him, sitting beside him and looking at his face. She grieved inwardly for his fallen posture. "What has the _worlds_ done to you?" He slowly blinked as a response.

She took his wounded palm in her hand, licking the bed sheet scrap and pressing down on his bleeding wound. He didn't even flinch.

"It doesn't look too deep," she informed him as she continued to dab the cut. "It won't need binding, but I'll stitch it up for you, just in case."

"No, Sig." He shook his head, his black hair covering his face. "Don't worry about it."

"Don't tell me what to do," she countered and removed one of the pins from her hair and tearing up the bed sheets more to get a strand of thread from the fabric. It wasn't what she would use if she was in the healing chambers, but it was as good as she was going to get in here. She tied the thread around her hair pin, a sharp needle to keep her locks in place. She opened up Loki's hand even more and stabbed him with the pin, dragging the thread over his wound. And yet, he did not move when she did so. He just watched her work.

She continued to stitch him up like a worn doll that she tended to when it received another hole and needed patch work. He watched her nimble fingers delicately sew him back together, closing up his skin.

"Why do you do this?" he questioned as she worked.

"Do what?" she asked, eyes focused on the task at hand.

" _This,_ " Loki elaborated. "All of this. Coming to visit me. Repairing me. Why do you do this? Why do you care so much about me?" He blinked his eyes back up to hers, but unable to capture her colors, for she was still facing downward, her attention glued to his hand. "Sigyn," he said, resulting in her ceasing in her actions and slowly bringing her eyes to his. " _Why do you care about me?_ What makes you think you owe me this kindness? What makes you think I deserve it?"

She took a moment to breathe, her face expressionless, and even Loki found himself perplexed by her reaction to his question. Why did she care so much? Not even she seemed to know, but then it came to her.

She flicked her eyes back to his palm, tying off the thread as she gave her reply.

"Because," she lead with, and then stopped.

"Because _what?_ " Loki pressed.

She sighed and looked directly into his eyes.

"Because you're my husband. And batshit crazy or not ..." she shook her head, giving in to what she _really_ wanted to say- the truth. "... I _love_ you."

* * *

 _She wasn't sure if she acted appropriately when Loki took the action of kissing her hand. She kind of didn't say or do anything. She just stood there in a daze before her mother told her to prepare tea for their guests and for her sisters to make them feel as at home as possible. In all honesty, however, the All Mother mostly came to converse with Freya, and the sisters were sent away for most of the time. All of them except Sigyn, of course. She was the only one besides the women who knew of their long history; Frigga and Freya. She was asked to serve the three of them, and she knew better than to deny the service._

 _So when the queen and her son took a seat before the hearth that was aflame, sipping from the fanciest teacups Freya had in her possession, Sigyn lingered close by in case they required anything else._

 _"I hate to arrive on such short notice," Frigga began. "I just needed to escape palace life for awhile. My husband has been quite on edge as of late. He is constantly putting off the Odin's Sleep for whatever reason he has. The threat of the frost giants is frightening many of our citizens. He thinks that just because he is the All Father he can handle and maintain nine different worlds. He fails to realize that he is just one man."_

 _The queen truly sounded distressed, worried even. Sigyn wished there was something she could do to ease her All Mother's pain, but she felt powerless. She held no statues in the royal way of life. She was a simple citizen, just going about her business as part of the realm. She could not pass any law or sketch up any bill. She could just stand in the background, cross her fingers, and hope that all that needed to get done would be done._

 _"You know you are more than welcomed here whenever you like, my Queen. Your son included, which ever one it may be," Freya said before taking another sip._

 _Loki sat beside his mother, the light of the fire just kissing his face, casting shadows of his contours. His black hair was as neat as ever and he was dressed in his usual green and gold colors. He certainly looked like a prince and had the posture of one._

 _The chit-chat went on for a few more moments. Sigyn barely paid any mind to them, rather just focused on her work in the kitchen, washing the cups the guests had used for tea and all. She was growing border and border by the moment._

 _"Really?" she heard Frigga exclaim from the other room. "You don't have to."_

 _"Oh, I insist," Freya said. "You must try it. It is the best! Better than any Asgardian brand, I am sure. You know Vanir are known for their wine. You lived there, too, and I am sure you miss the taste."_

 _"Yes, I do. But dear Freya, you must not-"_

 _"Oh, don't start now. You must have a bottle. Sigyn!"_

 _That was her cue. She dried her hands quickly and proudly walked into the other room, showing off her majestic figure in her little blue dress._

 _"Aye, Mother?" She was sure to speak clearly and properly, being polite and obedient before their royal guests._

 _"Dear Sigyn," Freya began, "please run down to the wine cellar and grab one of the older bottles. A red wine from Vanaheim, if you'd be so kind."_

 _Sigyn dipped her head with manners._

 _"Aye, Mother. Right away," she agreed._

 _"Do bundle up, dear," the All Mother called. "It is a bit cool out."_

 _"Aye, All Mother," Sigyn said with another bow of her head, grabbing her hole infested cloak and taking leave out the back door._

 _The wine cellar was located a few yards behind the house itself; a small hatch and down a few steps, and then you would find yourself surrounded by wracks and wracks of wine all from Vanaheim. A few bottles her mother managed to sneak over when she first came to Asgard shortly after the Aesir-Vanir War, when peace was made between the two realms._

 _She carried a candle in one hand and held her cloak shut with the other, gently lowering the door to the wine cellar as she walked down the stairs, inspecting the place to find a suitable bottle for the queen. All of them were dusty and caked with cobwebs, indicating just how long it has been since her mother had even been down there._

 _It was still frigid in the cellar due to the lack of heat and the cold month that had come rolling in. She pulled her cloak on tighter and held the candle close to each bottle to look at the label. She knew brands, companies, able to read the name of them and know which was which. That was basic knowledge that her mother taught her growing up. It wasn't the first time she has been in the cellar; her mother haven taken her down there when she was younger to teach her the names and labels, but it was the first time she would ever select a bottle and remove it from its place._

 _As Sigyn skimmed over the tittle of each bottle, she contemplated which was suitable for the Queen of Asgard. None of them seemed to be eloquent enough, and so she passed by every bottle, not agreeing with her choices._

 _"This is hopeless," she muttered to herself. "I have no idea what she even likes."_

 _"She'll drink anything."_

 _A voice startled her, nearly causing her to drop her candle, but she got a grip on it, not daring to let it fall. She turned quickly on her heels, releasing her hold on her cloak, and caught sight of who had frightened her._

 _Prince Loki sat on one of the barrels in the cellar, cross legged in the most un-princely of fashions, skimming over the cellar with his great green eyes._

 _"And you have plenty of options," he continued. "She never really looked at labels. If it's from Vanaheim, she'll devour it in an instant."_

 _Sigyn hadn't realized she was holding a hand over her heart, feelings its rapid beating. Loki's eyes fell upon her and immediately he had a reaction to the face she wore._

 _"Apologies," he spoke truly. "I honestly did not mean to startle you. It's just that ... well," he shrugged playfully, "things were getting rather boring in there. I needed an escape. You seemed like pleasant company."_

 _"Thank you," she muttered, dropping her hand and standing up straight once more. "Sorry if I offended you."_

 _"Not at all," he chuckled. "Sorry I scared you."_

 _She waved it away, still catching her breath._

 _"No matter," she huffed._

 _"That dress compliments you splendidly, by the way." He concluded his praise with a wink._

 _"Thank you, my Prince," she said respectfully._

 _"I especially love the slits," he added, demonstrating the design of her dress on his own torso with his hands._

 _She wondered how long his focus on her dress would last, but lucky her, Loki easily got bored sticking to one subject, and so transitioned into something else entirely._

 _"Rather impressive cellar for some simple citizen," he began, hopping off of the barrel and shifting his gaze from one end of the room to the other. "Many options. Do you have a favorite in here?"_

 _Sigyn shook her head, speaking honestly._

 _"Never got a chance to try any of them," she admitted, making Loki look to her in bewilderment._

 _"You haven't?" He cocked a brow._

 _Sigyn shook her head just as she did before, causing Loki to smile and laugh._

 _"Well, what are we doing just standing around here for? Pop open a bottle!" he suggested, but Sigyn had never allowed alcohol to touch her lips, and she wasn't about to._

 _"Forgive me, my Prince," she began, "but I am no drinker. I prefer water."_

 _Loki looked to her strangely, as if he didn't believe her._

 _"You serious?" he questioned, honestly convinced she was just jesting._

 _"Yes," she confirmed._

 _"Never heard that before." He raised his hands. "All right. I won't force you, but you are missing out. Just kill some time for me, at least. I cannot stand another dull moment listening to our mothers speak of unimportant things." He retook his seat upon the barrel, crossing his legs and letting a hint of mischief glitter in his eyes. "Give me something to do."_

 _She had no idea what he wanted. Entertainment? She could provide none. Wine? She wasn't drinking. Not for him. Not for anybody. Stories? She read so few._

 _Read._

 _Prince Loki._

 _The letter!_

 _"Um ..." She rubbed the back of her neck, slightly embarrassed, but who else was she going to ask. "Prince Loki," she squeaked._

 _"Yes, Sigyn?"_

Wow. Actually remembered my name.

 _"Would you mind doing a citizen a favor?"_

 _He threw his hands out to the side, smiling easily._

 _"Dear missy, that's why I exist," he replied. "To do my people favors. What kind of favor?"_

 _"I received this letter," she explained. "It is from someone very important to me. Unfortunately, I cannot read it. Would you ... if you don't mind ... I mean ... if it's not too much trouble ..."_

 _She noticed then a folded up piece of paper in his hands, and he already beginning to open it. He looked up to her, his face semi-serious as he did so._

 _"Under your pillow, right?" he asked, to which she nodded in disbelief._

 _"How did you-"_

 _He shrugged._

 _"Most girls keep 'important things' under their pillows," he explained and cleared his throat, preparing to read the letter._

 _"Sigyn. Oh, that's you!" he expressed teasingly, making her smile and roll her eyes. He continued. "It took some time, but I finally managed to locate you. I hope that doesn't make me seem too obsessed- oh, it does," he joked, "but I have not been able to stop thinking about you since our time spent at the celebration last week._

 _"Oh, Sigyn." He wagged his eyebrows making her blush before he read on, putting on his best Theoric imitation, resulting in Sigyn's giggling._

 _"I was hoping I could see you again, to pick things up where we left off." He placed a hand on his heart, sitting up tall as if he was reading a dramatic scene in a play and creating false lament in his voice, making her laugh even more. "I do miss you greatly, and I know for a fact that I felt something special between us. I hope you felt the same."_

 _He playfully sniffled and wiped a fake tear from his eye._

 _"I have an assignment coming up, but I wanted to see you before I left. I am currently residing within the palace, having become the All Father's personal warrior. However, I will be at the local tavern tomorrow night after sunset, sharing a drink with some companions before we leave for our mission. Please, feel free to stop by so I can see you before I go. I would want nothing more than to see your face again. If you do not feel as I do, then please do not show up to give me false hope, for if you do arrive, then I will assume it is because you feel something for me. Listen to what you want, Sigyn. Not what I crave._

 _"I wish you all the best._

 _"Theoric._

 _"Theoric? Who knew Theoric could muster up something as sappy as this?" Loki questioned when he concluded in his reading._

 _The young prince looked towards the girl in the cellar with him, cooing over every word that he had read to her, and finding it adorable that she was so hung up on someone that she had just met. It was clear that she felt the same way for Theoric as he did her- any moron could see it._

 _"You want to meet him, don't you?" Loki questioned, her blue eyes blinking to him._

 _"Beg pardon?"_

 _"You want to meet him, don't you? Theoric. In the tavern. I can see it in your face, Sigyn. You want to go. You feel something. Don't you?"_

 _She swallowed hard and turned away. She wasn't sure why she felt so guilty. It was a peculiar feeling, for she has always been a well behaved child. Now, she seemingly felt as though all of these new emotions were wrong, but how could they be? It's not like she deliberately went out seeking them._

 _"My mother would never let me go," she mumbled to the ground._

 _"I have a feeling she will," Loki chimed, but Sigyn only denied it._

 _"No. You don't know her like I do," she said. "She would never let me go out alone. Especially not to a tavern where a bunch of drunken men will be, no one there to protect me or make sure I get there and home safely. She would never let me go, no matter who it was with."_

 _She then felt a touch on her shoulder; warm and tender, shocking and foreign, but comforting and welcoming all at the same time. She looked over said shoulder and caught the gaze of Loki's dashing green eyes, slightly crinkled by the smile he wore, mischief shinning in his emeralds._

 _"Even if it was with me?" he questioned with a raised brow._

* * *

They were laying on his bed, resting beside each other, his sewed up hand clutching onto one of her tiny ones. He studied their fingers as they traced over each other, his so much longer than hers; her fingers feeling so tiny against his hand, like she was still a child.

"You are very petite," he commented, shifting his gaze back up to her face. "Even more so than you were before. Have you stopped eating?"

She sighed some, her eyes still watching as her fingers danced with his in some random, estranged waltz that they created on their own. It wasn't rehearsed, wasn't thought up previously. This was just them- Loki and Sigyn- living in the moment, doing as they so desired.

"Sigyn," Loki pushed, half of her mouth tilting upwards because of his persistence.

"I just haven't been all that hungry," is what she settled on, but Loki knew better than that.

"Sigyn," he growled gently, finally able to grab her gaze. "You need to eat. Someone being this tiny is not healthy."

"Oh, Loki." She rolled her eyes. "I just haven't been hungry. It's not my fault."

"Oh, Sigyn," he mimicked her, bringing out a giggle and beautiful smile from her beautiful face. "I just want you to be all right. Promise me you'll start eating again."

"If I get my appetite back, sure," she vowed.

"Sigyn ..."

"All right. All right, Loki," she caved, getting annoyed by his demands. She heard them so often, they began to sound like a broken record. "Geez. I'll eat more. I promise."

"Thank you," he overly exaggerated.

"Of course."

They shared the silence for a moment, along with a smile and eye contact, just enjoying the others being there.

"Loki," Sigyn spoke softly, "I read up on some of Asgard's records. Between you and your mother, you were both very engaged in creating a better realm. It doesn't seem like she would be the one to leave the seat of the All Mother open and up to chance should anything happen to her. Your mother was a planner. Surely she would have to have someone in mind to take on her position as the All Mother if she passed."

Loki blinked his eyes rapidly- maybe to subdue tears for the mere mention of his mother, perhaps just to do so to give him time to think of a response. But whatever the reason, he eventually spoke his reply to Sigyn's words.

"She did select someone," he explained. "There can be an All Mother even if the All Father still stands. Her selected can be the acting All Mother until the All Father remarries, if ever. And she can maintain the position if the All Father dies until a new All Father and Mother takes her place. Same with the All Father position. You don't have to be married to the other for the title. My mother told me she selected someone, but who that someone is ..." he shook his head, "I have no idea. She failed to tell me before she passed."

Sigyn huffed, back to square one. Great annoyance filled her.

"Not to sound mean," she said, "but the All Father has begun to grow a bit ill tempered."

"You just noticed that?"

She laughed and he snickered.

"What was your punishment for coming to see me against his orders?" Loki questioned when they caught their breaths. "Nothing serious, I hope."

Sigyn shook her head, still grinning at Loki's sharp tongue and quick wits and wonderful sense of humor.

"Confinement to my chambers for a week," she informed him. "Many spoke up on my behalf."

"As they should," Loki commented. "Because you are worth every ounce of breath they have in their lungs."

She blushed, looking away for a moment, still nervous around him at times like these; when he was being kind an expressing true emotion.

"Please," he begged, turning her sights back towards him with his pleas, "don't dart your gaze away from me. I need to see it as much as I can."

Her breath hitched in her throat, her eyes on the brink of tears. He has changed since he fell off the bridge; for better or for worse, she wasn't sure, but changed ... she was positive of that.

"What happened to you?" she asked, letting it just slip out of her mouth. "After you fell off the Bifrost, what happened to you?"

His demeanor shifted in less then a second from that of content to great discomfort. Whatever happened to him, whatever it was he faced, he obviously did not enjoy digging up the memories of it. He didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to discuss it. She caught on to that rather quickly.

"No," he said. "No. We are not going to talk about that. No. That ... that is just ... I can't ..." Silver tongue turned to lead once more. "Sigyn, I ..."

"Sh," she hushed him smoothly and softly, holding his hand in hers and slowing the movement of her fingers, he following the gesture with his own. "We don't have to."

She was so close, her lips right there; so perky and pink. The way they have always been since the day he first saw her in the wine cellar, to the night at the tavern, and every night after that. Perfect, beautiful lips hand crafted by the creator of all life, whomever or whatever that was- the Gods Above Gods maybe? Who knows? Who cares? The point was, they were there, she was there, he was there, and for a small second, they were alone. There was no nine realms, there was no Aether, no Dark Elves, no prisoners, no Bifrost or Odin, Thor, Sif, nothing. There was just Loki and there was just Sigyn, together in this cell, in this bed.

He moved in close, brushing his lips tenderly against hers, closing his eyes to only focus on her touch. Her eyes shut as well, she kissing him back, savoring the feeling that she has been deprived of for such a long time; her husband's kiss.

Sigyn held his hand tighter with her fragile fingers, never wanting to let go of him ever again. She had lost him too many times already. She never wanted to lose him again.

* * *

 **Happy Halloween!**


	5. Flames

Next chapter! Yay!

* * *

 _She was shaking on the night it was going to happen. She knew she shouldn't be. She also knew that, odds were, it was going to work out well. She forced herself to remain as calm as possible, brushing her hair without shaky hands, but that was becoming a difficult task in itself. When she dragged her brush across her golden locks, she felt her hand be relieved of the task, someone taking it from her._

 _"I hear you are going out tonight," one of her sisters said. The eldest one, Hnossa, who barely came over unless there was some special occasion. That was the one that took the brush and began to fix Sigyn's hair for her. "May I pry into your life and ask with whom?"_

 _Sigyn flushed as she sat promptly on her stool before her mirror, watching as her sister tended to her like she used to when she lived with them. She was always so tender with Sigyn, careful in her actions as a means to not pull too hard on her sister's head. She knew Sigyn was fragile._

 _"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Sigyn replied._

 _She knew Hnossa could handle the excitement with who was going to pick her up, but was also aware that her other sisters may be pressing their ears against the door to listen in on the conversation, and they often lost their wits when something semi-exciting happened to any of the siblings._

 _"Oh, I beg to differ, Sigyn," Hnossa assured. "You know I can keep a secret."_

 _"I know_ you _can," Sigyn informed her. "It's the others that cannot."_

 _"Do not worry about the others. They are not listening in on the conversation. Mother is keeping them busy. You want to know what I heard, though?"_

 _Might as well. It ought to be good, so Sigyn shrugged her shoulders with a sigh and agreed._

 _"Why not?"_

 _Hnossa smiled into the mirror, resting her chin on her sister's shoulder as she twisted Sigyn's locks with her fingers, admiring the golden color that her sister had sprouting from her head. It was without question that Sigyn was quite possibly the most beautiful of the sisters, and even out shinned their mother who was known for her natural appearance._

 _"I hear that you are going out with one of the princes of Asgard," Hnossa nearly sang. "Is that true?"_

 _"It's not what you think," Sigyn quickly came to her own defense. "I'm not going out with one of the princes. Well, in a way, I guess I am, but not because ..." she stumbled over her own wits and words, "... he needs to ... because Mother would never let me ... but he suggested ..." She sighed and buried her face in her hands, unable to gather herself. Everything she said made her sound more ridiculous. Hnossa, however, merely laughed at her sister's embarrassment._

 _"Do not trouble yourself with explanations, Sigyn," Hnossa calmed her. "I'm not the type to go off all over the city and spread the word that my sister is being escorted to a tavern by one of the princes as a means to sneak out at night. You really think me that dull?"_

 _Sigyn peeked up through her lashes and fingers, capturing her sister's smile in the mirror before Hnossa went back to tending to Sigyn's hair._

 _"Now, why don't you tell me who you're really going to meet with this marvelous plan of yours?" she suggested._

 _Sigyn, now at ease, sat up straight again making her sister's attempts at taming her hair easier._

 _"Wasn't necessarily my plan," she confessed. "It was the Prince's, but he was willing to help so-"_

 _"Why not accept the scheme?" Hnossa asked with a raised brow, but a kind grin, insinuating that she would have taken the offer as well if she was in Sigyn's shoes. "It is wise to have friends in high places, Sigyn."_

 _"I guess so," Sigyn said. "Anyway, he is just taking me there and bringing me home. Almost like a royal escort. Who I am really going to meet," her voice suddenly shifted into something much lighter and sweeter, "is one of the Crimson Hawks that I met at the celebration the other day."_

 _"You met someone when you doubted you would?" Hnossa questioned, setting down the brush, pulling Sigyn's hair off of her neck and chest to really show off her beauty._

 _"Indeed I did," Sigyn cooed. "Hnossa ..." she sighed. "Call me crazy, but I believe I have already met the man I am going to marry."_

* * *

She didn't mean to fall asleep. It was an accident, but being in the moment, beside him, even if it wasn't in their usual bed, it was the most comforting thing she felt in nearly two years.

She blinked her blue eyes open, finding herself in his cell still, laying beside him. He was sleeping. She couldn't remember the last time she saw him sleep. He looked even more beautiful when at rest than awake. She wanted to touch him, be sure he was real without waking him.

She placed a tender fingertip above his brow, feeling his cold flesh beneath her warm one. He was always so cold and she always wondered why. In light of things, however, she had come to discover the reason behind that.

She recalled the moment when she found out the truth about her husband; that he was a frost giant, not even from this world. She could deeply detail how her gut twisted and how she shifted from normalcy to a small panic attack. It was, for sure, the greatest shock of her life. Even beating that of the shock she got on her wedding day. But despite all of that, she still found comfort beside him. Something within her told her that despite what he was or where he came from, he could never hurt her.

She admired her husband for a moment longer before hearing the sound of a voice, almost like an echo, calling to her within her ears.

"Sigyn," it said, drawing her attention away from her husband. "Sigyn."

It was Thor's voice. He was summoning her back.

She brought her lips to her husband's temple, kissing him tenderly as a means to not awaken him. She knew that when he woke up, he would believe her visiting was just a dream, even with the proof still stitch into his palm. So she removed the hair pin that she had used to sew him shut and placed it promptly on the pillow that she had rested her head upon.

Standing up from the bed, she focused all of her powers on returning to her chambers, and sure enough she did. Just as she had appeared in Loki's cell, she flashed herself into her room, standing beside the piano that she had found the spell book in not too long ago.

Thor was there, awaiting her return by her chamber doors, hammer at his side and urgency in his eyes.

"You've come to scorn me?" she questioned her older brother who shook his head in response.

"Something told me that if my mother did it, you were bound to as well," he confessed. "I'm here because I have plans to bring about an end to our difficulty with the Dark Elves."

She straightened out her dress, standing tall before approaching her brother and linking arms with him, leading him to the window where the sun peered in, the curtains were pulled back, and the city was clear in view.

"I'm afraid, dear Brother," she went on, "that I cannot be of much assistance from in here with that pending issue. The All Father has confound me to these chambers for seven days, as you are well aware of."

"That I am," Thor confessed. "However, you can be of some help to me from your place in here."

They stopped before the window, looking out into the city as the lives of Asgard's citizens unfolded, completely unaware of the madness that consumed their realm, the horrors within the palace, and the danger that was lurking just beyond the rainbow bridge that they have come to admire.

"How so?" she questioned, gazing upon her people and wondering how it was she went from a view of her backyard to the view of the entire golden city.

"I am going to need Loki's help," Thor continued, dragging Sigyn's eyes to him.

"You serious?" she asked with a cocked brow.

"Indeed, I am," Thor confirmed. "There is only one way to defeat the Dark Elves and save Jane. That is by cutting off their source of power. By destroying the Aether once it has been released from Jane's body; when it is at its weakest point, searching for a new host."

Sigyn nodded her head, absorbing his thought process before speaking up again.

"I fail to see the part where Loki and I come into play," she spoke. "What possible role could Loki play from his confinement or me in mine?"

"Loki knows of ways outside of Asgard besides Bifrost," Thor answered.

"He is not the only one," Sigyn spoke in scorn, obviously hateful towards the others that knew of such ways. "Loki has many secrets, but some people enjoy poking around the most intelligent of minds to discover what they are. You're little friends- the sisters- had an awful lot of fun doing so."

Thor subdued a smirk.

"Still resent them as much as ever, Sigyn," he teased. "My, you are the jealous type." She rolled her eyes. "Simple flames from _our_ past, dear Sigyn. And one that Loki has outwitted on many occasions. He knew what he was getting himself into, and one secret is worth less than others. But that is off the topic at hand. Loki, despite what he has done, is the only one I trust to get me to one of these places."

Sigyn looked to him with passiveness.

"Lorelei and Amora would divulge any information you so craved if that means they get to be beside you," she countered.

"As true as that may be, the sisters are not my brother," Thor argued. "Loki and I have a common foe that has taken something very dear to us. And speaking of the sisters ... one of them escaped."

"What?" Sigyn snapped, nearly shouting at her brother.

He laughed in response to her outburst, finding it adorable how sentimental she was.

"That is why you are perfect for this task," he continued. "Lorelei already wandered off. The beast who slain my mother was the one who released her. I need you to find her location."

"What makes you think I can?"

"Because I know of the emotions Loki _had_ for Lorelei and the emotions he _has_ for you. Lorelei was nothing more than a younger sibling who felt the same shadow from their older sibling as he did. But you, Sigyn, you were something much more than that. Loki has shown you more things, shared with you more secrets, and put more trust in you than anyone in all nine of the realms, including our mother. I know that if anyone can find her ... it's you."

Sigyn sighed, releasing the annoyance from her lungs and clearing her head of flurry thoughts. Thor had a point, and she knew that. She also knew that it was Loki who had gotten Lorelei imprisoned in the first place. So she agreed.

"All right. I'll find her. But what of Loki?" she asked.

"Loki I will release from his prison so that he may collect vengeance for our mother's death. As soon as that is done, he will be returned to his cell. However, based upon his efforts, it is possible that I can have the All Father reduce his sentence so that he may return to you."

Sigyn blinked her eyes downward, concealing the tears of depression and joy. How great it would be to finally have him back, in the _right_ way. How spectacular to be able to have him wrap his arms around her at night the way he used to. To laugh and get drunk with him as they used to. To watch him create mischief amongst the realm and laugh about it as she used to. To have things go back to normal ... to be just like they used to be.

Two years, it hasn't been like it used to be.

"You have waited for so long, Sigyn," Thor continued, holding her by her shoulders and forcing her to face him as he spoke to her with the truest sincerity that he ever contained. "I know you have. And I would do anything to give you your life back because of all the souls in any of the realms ... you are the most innocent. I will do whatever I can to make you happy. I swear to you that."

Tears fell from her eyes as she nodded her head, bitting her bottom lip. She knew that Thor meant every word he spoke to her, but for some reason, she found it hard to believe that he could keep his vow.

"I appreciate everything you have ever done for me, Thor," she muttered through her sorrows. "I really do, but ... I doubt that I will ever be happy again."

* * *

 _"My, my, don't we clean up nicely?" Loki teased as Sigyn stepped out of her house, having him waiting for her just outside. "No dress with slits this time, I've noticed. Shame. You looked so good with them."_

 _He extended his hand, helping her down the last step as she crinkled her nose and smirked at him._

 _"Prince Loki, I never deemed you as the type to only admire a woman's body and not her brains," she teased to which he playfully shrugged his shoulders._

 _"I guess I haven't reached the maturity yet," he jested, making her giggle. "It'll come to me, eventually. I can feel it." He escorted her to the horse that waited for them, saddled and ready to go. His mode of transportation._

 _"Can you, now?" she asked with a raised brow._

 _"Part of me, yes, but for the moment, I am enjoying my time just ... oh," he stopped himself. "Virgin ears. No!" He placed his hands on her ears, expressing false concern as she laughed hysterically. "No, we cannot poison them! Must not violate the innocence!"_

 _"Loki!" She broke free of his grasp and fixed her slightly messed up hair. "Please. I have older sisters and a mother with many children. If any virgin knows anything about loss of innocence, it is me."_

 _"You catch my drift," he settled on, her nodding once to show she did._

 _"Yes, I do. I don't judge. Enjoy the freedom while you are young and before arranged marriages come and suck you into a life of misery," she reasoned._

 _"That is part of it," Loki said. "However, my mother is looking to have arranged marriages revoked."_

 _That stunned the girl who has only ever heard of royalty marring suitors that their parents picked._

 _"Is that so?" she questioned, desiring to know more about the subject._

 _"You seem so surprised," Loki responded._

 _"I've only ever head of arranged marriages for royals, Loki. You must excuse my naivety on the subject."_

 _He waved it off._

 _"Anyway, Mother has expressed on several occasions that she has full faith in one of us selecting a wife that will serve the realm well as its All Mother," Loki explained._

 _"How trusting she is," Sigyn teased, resulting in Loki playfully nudging her._

 _"Ever ride a horse before?" he questioned as they stood before the beautiful creature._

 _"Pet one, yes," Sigyn answered as she ran her hand over the horse's nose. "Rode one, can't say that I have."_

 _Loki snickered as he picked her up suddenly, startling her at his abrupt action and seating her on the horse._

 _"Oh my gosh, Loki!" she screamed, startled by his sudden gesture. "Loki, I don't think I can-"_

 _"Oh, don't fret, Sigyn," he said as he climbed on in front of her. "You won't fall off if you don't let go."_

 _"Let go?" she questioned as Loki gathered the reins in his gloved palms, it still cold out for the winter had come rolling in with great furry and snow covered the city in a nice thin sheet of white. "Let go of what?"_

 _He looked over his shoulder, flashing his green eyes that shimmered spectacularly in the moonlight reflecting off of the snow, to her, smirking as he did so._

 _"Me," he responded before kicking his horse in the thighs and having it take off in a great gallop._

* * *

She said that she would help and so she jumped right on the task. Looking for Lorelei would be difficult, that much she knew. She knew Lorelei was great at concealing her magic and making it nearly impossible to find her, but she would.

She opened up the spell book Loki had hidden in the piano, flipping through the pages to find something that would help her track down the younger sister and other master of magic. With enough patience and thought, she knew she would be able to track down the red head. Lorelei was good at magic, but Loki was better.

She had already gotten to work, sipping on her tea and reading the pages when she heard a great disturbance coming from outside of her chambers. Knowing she couldn't leave, due to the Crimson Hawks standing just outside her door, she stuck her head out to catch a glimpse of the action.

Soldiers sprinted by while the two that stood beside her remained as still as stone, but it was clear that their grips on their weapons had gotten tighter. She looked for more clues as to understand what was happening in her home. Was Thor's plan tarnished? Was there another attack taking place?

"What is happening?" she asked the Crimson Hawk to her left.

"Apparently another prisoner escape, my Princess," he informed her without looking at her.

"Who's?" she questioned to be sure the right person escaped.

"Mine," came her reply from behind her.

She turned her head sharply into her room, eyes glowing bright with overwhelming joy at who she saw.

"Not sure, my Princess," the Crimson Hawk replied, drawing her attention back to the men who stood guard. "I shall inform you when I am made aware of the prisoner's identity."

She nodded, giving thanks before pulling her head back inside and shutting the door behind her, running to the being in her room- at least one of them.

"Loki," she breathed again, embracing him tightly, but wondering why it was he did not hug her in return.

"Careful, Sigyn," he said to her. "They are really tight."

She pulled away and examined his bound wrists, shackles keeping them together with not much room to move them. She looked to Thor, noticing the door hidden behind the bookcase was open, and figuring that was how they had gotten in. Loki failed to disclaim that little passage to his chamber to anyone, except for Sigyn. She was the only other person who knew about it, except Thor now.

"Why the shackles?" she desired to know, but not in a demanding way. Rather, softly and calmly.

"A lack of trust, Sigyn. We don't have much time, but he refused to go without coming to see you first," Thor explained.

It was obvious that Sigyn was flattered by her inclusion, blinking her blue eyes to Loki, who smiled kindly at her, clearly dazed by her mere being there.

"I needed to thank you," he began, "for being with me. For visiting me. For caring for me. For ... everything you have ever done for me, Sigyn. I honestly have no idea what I would do without you. And in case I don't see you for another two years," the part stabbed her gut. What if it was another two years that they were destined to be apart? "I want you to know that you are one of the most important people in my life, and I am truly sorry for everything I have ever done to you. I don't expect your forgiveness, and I don't believe I will ever deserve it or prove to you how sincerely sorry I am, but you needed to know that. You needed to know that I would cross all nine of the realms for you, and cross over Hel ten times for you. I ... I ..."

 _Please,_ she thinks to herself, _just say it._

"I ... adore you," he settled for.

Something told her that that wasn't what he wanted to say. That he truly desired to speak the _other_ word in _adore's_ place, but she wasn't about to fight him for it. She didn't want to become his enemy.

"That is ... wonderful, Loki," she spoke in response, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I _love_ you."

She pulled herself up onto her toes, reaching for his lips to kiss him before he should leave. She did. Without moving all that much, and just by pressing her lips onto his, the kiss was passionate and thoughtful and perfect.

"Come back to me sooner this time," she begged to him.

"I will do whatever I can. I promise," he swore.

She nodded, lowering herself back down and noticed that Loki had already flashed himself into his usual garb; green and gold, leather and metal. He looked more like himself again, and that was enough to make her smile.

"Be safe, Sigyn," he warned her before Thor began to push him away, back towards the bookcase in which they came from.

"I will, but Loki," she called, stopping him before he disappeared into the shadows. "Please, remember that family is important."

He took a moment before dipping his head to her, admiring her knowledge and strength.

* * *

 _When the horse finally came to a halt, she could breathe easy again. It wasn't like the tavern was that far from her home, but the palace was. To expect Loki to walk all the way to her place was redundant. It was much more particle to ride there, especially during the winter months._

 _Loki was first to hope off the stead and then looked up at Sigyn, who appeared disheveled and ill._

 _"Oh gosh," he spoke with genuine concern. "Are you well, Sigyn?"_

 _"I'll be fine," she panted. "Just help me down before I fall."_

 _Loki chuckled before grabbing her tiny figure, picking her up with ease, and setting her on her feet on the ground._

 _"There," he commented as he did so. "That's better. Let me help you."_

 _He began to fix her hair, fluffing it but not ruining it. He straightened out her dress as well and wiped away the tears that came from the wind smacking her face during the ride to the tavern. As Loki fixed her up, he took note of the cloak she wore, noticing the holes and patches that it was covered in. It did not appear all that cozy._

 _"Goodness, is this what you wear during these cold months?" he questioned with disgust._

 _"It is all I have," Sigyn confessed. "We don't all come from money."_

 _"How long have you had this thing?" he asked, examining it like it was a rag._

 _"Since I was five or six," Sigyn confessed, unable to remember the exact age she was when she first came to possess the cloak._

 _"I think it is time to invest in a new one, Sigyn," Loki suggested, but she waved it away._

 _"When I can afford one, I will," she argued, snatching the cloak out of his hands and straightening herself out._

 _"All right," she spoke, "let's go."_

 _"Uh, Sigyn," Loki chimed in._

 _"No, Loki. No turning back now. Let's go," she proclaimed._

 _"I would love to," Loki began, "but you're not moving, Sigyn. It is like you are cemented to the ground."_

 _Her feet remained frozen in the snow as she shivered, but not from the cold. No, that part was obvious. She was shivering rather from the nerves that crawled up and down her spine, making her blood boil despite the frost that nipped at it, and made her immobile._

 _She covered her face in shame, something she often did when in troublesome predicaments, not wanting to show her emotions to anyone and would much rather keep them concealed._

 _"I can't do this," she muttered in disgust to herself. "I can't do this."_

 _Loki, rolling his eyes in playful annoyance, approached Sigyn and draped his arm over her shoulders. Even at that young age, he was much taller than her._

 _"Maybe you can't," Loki said. "Maybe it is hopeless. Maybe you should not focus on Theoric."_

 _"I cannot focus on Theoric!" she shouted into her palms. "It is making me mad! Why has he taken interest in me?" she questioned as Loki just went along with her outburst in agreement._

 _"Indeed," he agreed. "What could he possibly see in you?"_

 _"Exactly!" she went on. "There is nothing special about me."_

 _"Absolutely nothing," Loki said. "You should just forget about this whole arrangement and just have a drink with me. We can share all the horrible details there is about each other and why it is no one could ever find anything attractive within us."_

 _"There is not anything, Loki," she accepted, following him as he lead her towards the tavern, she mindlessly accepting his offer of a drink with him to disgust how no one could ever take an interest in them._

 _"We are both repellent for affection and devotion," Loki continued, and she agreed._

 _"Indeed, we are." He lead her up the tavern steps, arm still draped around her as he did so, as a means to prevent her from running away or becoming aware of what it was he was doing. "I am no fun, and I am so often hiding my true emotions from people."_

 _"I have noticed that," Loki said. "What else?"_

 _"I have never touched liquor! I mean, who wants to be with someone who they cannot even share a drink with?" she ranted._

 _"Mead to men is what jewels are to women," Loki said to empower her statement._

 _"I am no suitable companion for anyone," Sigyn claimed._

 _"Nor am I," Loki butted._

 _"Oh, I am sure there is something about you that women would like," she argued._

 _"I doubt that," Loki replied with a laugh. "There is one quality about me that can outmatch any redeeming quality that I may have."_

 _"And that is?"_

 _He removed his arm from her shoulders and pushed upon the tavern doors with a sense of pride in the swift movement that he did so._

 _"I am a master manipulator," he concluded, pulling Sigyn in so she could not escape._

* * *

So excited for the holiday season! Love the winter and the scenery in New York during this time of the year! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review. I love hearing from my readers. Thanks again!


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